The Marion County Circuit Court is accepting resumes for a full-time Juvenile Magistrate. This position will begin on June 17, 2024 and will comprise of approximately 70% of juvenile paternity Title IV-D work and approximately 30% of general civil litigation work. The juvenile magistrate work will entail presiding over the Title IV-D establishment docket.  The civil work will include presiding over name change dockets, civil protective order cases, real estate cases such as quiet title cases, and a limited general civil litigation docket.

If you’re interested, you can read more about the opportunity and apply here. Applications are due by midnight April 24.

With all of the expectations lawyers face (especially early in their careers), it can be hard to carve out time away from learning to practice the law and break away from the billable hour to identify leadership opportunities where legal skills can provide a meaningful benefit for the Indianapolis community. The IndyBar Bar Leader Series program provides the perfect solution. 

Marion Superior Court has a vacancy for a Magistrate in its Initial Hearing Court. This position is for nights and weekends and may include holidays. Ideal candidates will have a minimum of five years of family law experience. If you are interested you can get more information and apply by clicking here.

The deadline to apply is March 15, 2024.

The month of November is recognized as "National American Indian Heritage Month". Indiana is the ancestral homeland to many Indigenous communities, including the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana (the "Miami Nation") and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians (the "Pokagon Band"), both of which still maintain a presence in Indiana today. Sometimes, Indiana legal practitioners may face issues that involve Native Americans or an Indian Tribe. The following are a few examples.

Marion Superior Court Family Division is growing! With Governor Holcomb’s appointments of the Honorable Melanie Kendrick and Philip Sheward, the Family Division has added courts D22 and D24, growing the division to seven full-time family courts. 

On August 11, 2023, the Marion Superior Court Family Division, with the support of the IndyBar Family Law and ADR Sections, volunteer mediators, the Marion Superior Court Executive Committee, Court Administration, and support staff; hosted the largest Mediation Day to date. The goal for the day was 40 mediations; the day began with 37 mediations scheduled, 34 of which took place. 25 families reached complete or almost complete agreements, for a 74% success rate on resolution for those cases mediated.  

Don’t let the excellence of those around you go unrecognized. It only takes a few minutes to nominate a colleague who stands out in the crowd. The Indianapolis legal community is fortunate to be home to many talented, dedicated professionals, and we need your help in identifying the best of the best. 

Nominations are encouraged for the following IndyBar awards via a single online application form that only takes a few minutes to complete.

For members who were unable to attend the August 31 Family Law Court Update, the recording is now available. 

    Those of us “in the trenches” of family law know the value (er, need!) of a good, seasoned parenting coordinator on our highest conflict cases.  These are the cases with parents so focused on “winning” against the other parent that, by the time the child finishes high school, they have already spent the entire cost of college on 18 years of bickering over issues like extracurricular activities and exchange drop-off times.  The value of a parenting coordinator in providing a more efficient, cost-effective, child-focused dispute resolution process outside the courtroom is immeasurable.  Yet, parenting coordination trainings are few and far between.  The last time such a training was offered in central Indiana was in 2018…. Five years ago!

Hon. Alicia A. Gooden
Marion Superior Court Family Law Division Term Chair
Marion Superior Court 14, Family Division

How long have you been a judge?
I have been a Judge since November of 2015; however, I served as Master Commissioner in Marion Circuit Court from 2001-2010.

What tip do you have for lawyers appearing in family division courts?
Be ‘straight up’ with your clients.  Don’t ever predict what will happen in court; it rarely goes exactly as planned. Be prepared and TALK to opposing counsel prior to the hearing. Stipulate to as much as possible so that the court can focus on the truly contested issues.

Who are your mentors, and what do you respect most about them?
Judge Bill Lawrence – always a smile on his face and so genuinely courteous with lawyers. Judge Robyn Moberly – she has guided me since I was a baby judicial officer; she’s sharp, ambitious and leads with grace.

What do you believe is a common misperception about being a judge?
It’s not just about judging.  There are numerous administrative responsibilities that come with running a court – staffing, managing calendars, revising local rules and forms, working on committees both internally and within the Supreme Court committees. We do a lot more than just sit on the bench and hear cases!