Gov. Eric J. Holcomb today announced the appointments of Charnette D. Garner, Jennifer P. Harrison and Mark A. Jones to the Marion County Superior Courts. The appointments are the first gubernatorial appointments following the passage of House Enrolled Act 1036 in 2017, creating merit selection of judges in Marion County.
“Charnette Garner, Jennifer Harrison and Mark Jones are eminently qualified to sit on the Marion County Superior Court,†said Holcomb. “They have the temperament, experience and education to fairly and impartially apply the law and I look forward to many years of distinguished service from these three judges.â€
Charnette D. Garner currently serves as chief counsel for the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. She first joined the office in 2005 and returned in 2015 after a nine month stint as an assistant United States Attorney. Garner earned her bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University and her law degree from Missouri-Columbia School of Law.
Jennifer P. Harrison currently practices law at Lewis & Wilkins LLP. Prior to joining the law firm, she served as an attorney with the Marion County Public Defender Agency from 2008−2017. Ms. Harrison earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University and her law degree from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law.
Mark A. Jones is currently a magistrate for the Marion County Superior Courts. Prior to becoming a magistrate, Jones served as an attorney with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, the Supreme Court disciplinary commission, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, the Marion County Public Defender’s Office and in private practice. Judge Jones earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and his law degree from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law.
A judicial selection committee was established and chaired by Indiana Supreme Court Justice Mark Massa. Judge Cale Bradford of the Indiana Court of Appeals was vice chair. The 14-member committee accepted applications, interviewed 40 candidates, and recommended three candidates for each vacancy to the governor.
Three current Marion County judges, Michael Keele, Becky Pierson-Treacy, and Thomas Carroll, are retiring at the end of the year, creating the vacancies. Garner, Harrison, and Jones will be sworn in on or after January 1, 2019.
