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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Ind. Law - Governor acts on HEA 1491 - St. Joseph Superior Court Judges; 6th COA panel [Updated]

Governor Daniels this afternoon has acted to veto HEA 1491. Here is the Governor's veto message:

The current method of selecting judges for the St. Joseph Superior Court has prevailed successfully for 35 years. It is a model to be emulated, not discarded. It is not broken; it requires no repair. It has produced outstanding jurists and contains sufficient measures of public accountability. I believe it neither necessary nor wise to re-politicize the courts of St. Joseph County.

The addition of another panel to the Court of Appeals at $2 million per year is difficult to justify in today’s challenging fiscal environment. Moreover, if I were to sign a bill linking these two proposals, it could contribute to public cynicism by creating the appearance that my acquiescence was purchased with more appointments. Whatever the merits of expanding the Court of Appeals may be, they should be considered alone.

Here are some earlier ILB entries on HEA 1491.

The other bills remaining on the list were signed today. See the complete list here.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 13, 2009 04:13 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts | Indiana Law