Indiana Supreme Court Justice David announces retirement plans

Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven H. David, the longest-serving justice on the Hoosier high court, has announced that he will step down from the bench in fall 2022.

The Supreme Court announced David’s retirement Wednesday.

“Service to others has been my greatest honor,” David said in a written statement. “I am humbled to have served. My journey has been nothing less than a dream come true.”

David, who was born in 1957, was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court as its 106th justice in 2010. His career has been marked by public service both in the military and as a civilian.

After graduating from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 1982, David served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps on active duty until 1986, then on reserve duty until 2010. He was deployed post-9/11 to Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, serving as trial counsel, defense counsel, military judge and commander.

As a civilian, David practiced law in Columbus, focusing on personal injury, family law and civil litigation. He later served as in-house counsel for Mayflower Transit Inc. before being elected to the Boone Circuit Court, where he presided over civil, criminal, family and juvenile matters until his appointment to the Supreme Court.

Former Gov. Mitch Daniels selected David to succeed former Justice Theodore Boehm. He was retained by voters in 2012.

Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush said David will be “greatly missed” on the bench.

“Justice David’s deep commitment to our Hoosier justice system and his tireless work have been aimed at upholding the rule of law and improving the judicial branch statewide,” she said in a statement.

The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission will be tasked with interviewing applicants to succeed David on the high court. Applications for the position will be made available on the court’s website at a later date.

After his retirement, David has said he intends to serve as a senior judge. He will also continue to chair the Commission on Equity and Access and the Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity.

“We have the greatest Supreme Court in the nation and the best judicial system anywhere, and we are all constantly working together to make it better!” David said. “I salute Chief Justice Rush and my colleagues on the Supreme Court. They are truly amazing law partners.”