Indiana’s 2nd longest serving justice heads into retirement

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Indiana Supreme Court Justice Brent Dickson is heading into retirement after more than 30 years on the bench.

Dickson’s retirement ceremony will be webcast live Friday afternoon from the court’s Statehouse courtroom. The 74-year-old Dickson announced in January that he would retire before reaching the court’s mandatory retirement age of 75 in July.

Dickson joined the court in January 1986 and his 30-plus years on the bench make him Indiana’s second-longest-serving justice. The longest-serving justice was 19th century Justice Isaac Blackford, who served more than 35 years.

Gov. Mike Pence has about two more weeks to choose Dickson’s replacement from three finalists selected by Indiana’s Judicial Nominating Commission.

Those finalists are St. Joseph Superior Judge Steven L. Hostetler, Boone Superior Judge Matthew C. Kincaid and Indianapolis attorney Geoffrey G. Slaughter.