« Ind. Decisions - Re recent federal court decisions on whether Indiana communities have right to restrict new medical centers | Main | Environment - House amendment would prohibit regulation of wood-fired boilers »

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Ind. Courts - Supreme Court merges Clerk of Courts with Court Administrator

In a release issued late this afternnon, Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard has announced:

Supreme Court Administrator Kevin S. Smith will permanently add the duties of Clerk of the Courts to his responsibilities as part of the transition of the Clerk’s position from an elected position to an appointed one, Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard announced today.

The present Clerk of the Courts, David C. Lewis, announced Monday that he is resigning February 10, 2006 to take a job in the private sector.

Under legislation passed in 2004, the Clerk’s position was changed from an elected position to one appointed by the Chief Justice whenever the elected Clerk completes his or her term, or leaves office. Mr. Lewis’ current term would have expired December 31, 2006.

Mr. Smith has been the Supreme Court Administrator, serving as the Supreme Court’s chief appellate counsel and supervising a staff of 8 since 2004. Under the new arrangement announced today, he will also supervise the 14 employees in the Clerk’s office.

“I told the Clerk's staff this morning that for many years Indiana's appellate courts and the public have greatly benefited from effective and accurate work by our Clerk's Office. We have every reason to believe the Clerk’s office will continue to build upon its already substantial foundation,” said Chief Justice Shepard.

David Schanker, who has been serving as Mr. Lewis’s Chief of Staff, will continue in a similar capacity but with the new title, Deputy Clerk of the Courts. The Clerk’s Office is the “front door” of Indiana’s appellate judiciary where appeals to the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court are filed. The Clerk’s office is also the custodian of the millions of pages of documents filed each year in Indiana’s appellate and runs a substantial operation to preserve vital court records in a lasting format.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 31, 2006 04:57 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts