Katie Stancombe for www.theindianalawyer.com
A new poll of Indiana State Bar Association members strongly supports keeping two state appellate judges on the bench, but Hoosiers will have the final say on their retention this November.
Compiled responses from the ISBA 2018 judicial retention poll found that more than 90 percent of survey voters favor retaining Indiana Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey G. Slaughter. Likewise, 89 percent favor retaining Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Robert R. Altice Jr.
Just 9.65 percent voted against retaining Slaughter, and 10.33 percent opposed retaining Altice.
Votes were cast by 968 ISBA members through an electronic survey from Sept. 13-Sept. 30.
“While not a scientific poll, our members responded to a survey and indicated by large percentages their favorable support to retain both jurists,†said Andi M. Metzel, Indiana
State Bar Association President. “As a conveyor of information to educate the profession and the public, ISBA shares these results before Hoosier voters head to the polls and vote yes or no to retention.â€
Indiana voters will have a chance to vote yes or no on retaining the judges during the November 2018 general election.
Both Slaughter and Altice were appointed to the appellate benches through Indiana’s merit selection process, which has been used to choose and retain appellate judges for more than 40 years. Then-Gov. Mike Pence appointed Slaughter to the high court in 2016 and appointed Altice to the lower appellate court in 2015.
Once appointed, a judge must stand for retention at the first statewide general election after serving for two full years. If retained, the judge is then on the retention ballot every 10 years.
