(Second District)
425 State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-234-9625
Robert R. Altice, Jr., was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Mike Pence and began his service on Sept. 2, 2015. He was selected by his colleagues to serve a three-year term as Chief Judge beginning January 1, 2023.
Judge Altice earned his undergraduate degree from Miami University, Oxford, OH. Subsequently, he obtained a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from the University of Central Missouri, where he was honored as “Graduate Student of the Year” in his department. He received his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.
Judge Altice’s legal career began in Jackson County, MO, handling felony cases as a deputy prosecutor before being promoted to Chief Deputy Prosecutor for the Drug Unit. He then practiced with a Kansas City civil law firm, focusing on medical malpractice defense. After moving to Indianapolis, he joined the law firm of Wooden McLaughlin & Sterner, concentrating on insurance defense.
In 1994, Judge Altice returned to prosecution, handling a major felony caseload as a deputy prosecutor for the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. He served as Chief of the Felony Division from 1997 to 2000, prosecuting a number of high-profile felonies while also providing management support to 35 deputy prosecutors. Judge Altice briefly served as the Office’s Chief Counsel, working with the Indiana General Assembly to amend laws on domestic battery and possession of firearms by violent felons. As a prosecutor, he tried more than 100 major felony jury trials, including 25 murder cases and countless bench trials.
Judge Altice was elected to the Marion County bench in 2000 and presided over both criminal and civil dockets. As judge of Marion Superior Court, Criminal Division 2 from 2001 to 2012, he presided at 250 major felony jury trials, including 75 murder trials (seven death penalty cases).
While presiding over some of the most serious criminal matters in the state, Judge Altice also served as chair of the Marion Superior Court Criminal Term from 2005 to 2007, as a member of the Executive Committee for the Marion Superior Court from 2007 to 2009, and as Presiding Judge of the Marion Superior Court from 2009 to 2011. As the Presiding Judge, he was responsible for the administration of the Marion Superior Court, with an annual budget of $50 million, and managed a court staff of more than 850 employees. He also hosted a TV show on the government access channel, titled “Off the Bench,” in which other civic leaders appeared as guests to discuss public affairs.
Judge Altice moved to the civil division of the Marion Superior Court in 2013, where he officiated at 15 civil jury trials in Superior Court 5. Judge Altice was appointed chair of the Marion Superior Court Civil Term in January 2015.
Throughout his judicial career, Judge Altice has held leadership roles in organizations that improve the administration of justice. He accepted special assignments from the Indiana Supreme Court on the Judicial Performance Task Force, which examined whether judicial evaluations might be useful in Indiana, and the Cameras in the Courtroom project, which allowed cameras in certain courtrooms under limited conditions. During Judge Altice’s tenure on the Marion County Community Corrections Advisory Board, the Duval Work Release Center in Marion County was built and opened.
Judge Altice is a member of the Indiana Judges Association, the Indiana State Bar Association, and the Indianapolis Bar Association. He served on the Board of Directors of the Judicial Conference of Indiana, is a member and past president of the Sagamore American Inn of Court, was a member from 2010 to 2015 of the Indiana Judicial Conference Civil Bench Book Committee, and was a member and former chair of the Indiana Judicial Conference Community Relations Committee. In April 2015, Judge Altice was appointed to serve on an ad hoc Indiana Tax Court Advisory Task Force and subsequently served on the Tax Court Advisory Committee. Judge Altice also served as President of the Board of Directors for the Heartland Pro Bono District.
Judge Altice recently chaired the Eviction Task Force which assisted tenants and landlords in the State of Indiana with receiving funds from the COVID relief bill.
His community activities include prior service on the Board of Directors of these organizations: Indianapolis Police Athletic League; the Martin Luther King Community Development Corp.; and Coburn Place Safe Haven, a transitional housing facility for domestic abuse victims. Judge Altice also participated on the Super Bowl Legal Subcommittee. He is on the board of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. He has presented on legal and ethical issues for the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, the Indiana Judicial Center, and various Indiana bar associations. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, golf and reading.
He and his wife, Kris, an attorney who is General Counsel for Shiel Sexton, have two adult children.