On August 11, colleagues, friends, and family filled the atrium outside the Indiana Supreme Court Courtroom to offer well-wishes and congratulations to the newest Justice of the Court – Geoffrey Slaughter. Justice Slaughter officially joined the Court in June, when he was sworn-in by Chief Justice Loretta Rush during a private ceremony.
Justice Slaughter’s public swearing-in came three months after Governor Mike Pence announced his appointment as the 109th Justice. Slaughter and two other nominees were submitted to the Governor by the Judicial Nominating Commission. The seven-member Commission interviewed twenty nine candidates and analyzed their legal education, writings, reputation in the practice of law, and other qualifications.
Justice Slaughter succeeds Justice Brent Dickson, who retired in April after thirty years on the bench. Slaughter humbly stated: “I’m not replacing Justice Dickson – nobody can do that – I’m merely succeeding him and I’ll do my best to try to live up to the values of professionalism and civility for which he’s so well-known.”
The Supreme Court Justices welcomed their newest member during a public ceremony joined by his family, friends, colleagues, government officials, and Supreme Court staff. Justice Slaughter has a keen intellect and courteous manner and is known for his extensive knowledge of constitutional and antitrust law.
His official photograph—lining the courtroom wall along with all current and former justices—was unveiled during the ceremony. During the ceremony, Slaughter received praise from U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra McVicker Lynch, stating that, “He is an accomplished thinker and writer. He loves law. He loves policy. He loves language. He loves people. He will be a terrific 109th Justice for the Indiana Supreme Court.”
After graduating law school in 1989, he spent two years as a law clerk to Chief Judge Allen Sharp, United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana in South Bend. He then worked in private practice with the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis, concentrating on antitrust, bankruptcy, and other complex business litigation.
From 1995 to 2001, he served as special counsel to the Attorney General of Indiana. Most recently, Justice Slaughter was a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP in Indianapolis. He also recently served as President of the Indiana Bar Foundation and is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association. During his time as a partner, Slaughter litigated complex business disputes in both state and federal courts.