Indiana governor appoints Hamilton County judge to state’s Court of Appeals

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Eric Holcomb has appointed Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Paul Felix to the Indiana Court of Appeals, his office announced Thursday.

Felix will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Margret Robb.

“Judge Felix is passionate about ensuring all Hoosiers have access to the justice system,” Holcomb, a Republican, said in a news release. “Through his work he has become an expert in administration of justice, a team player with his judiciary counterparts and a community leader in juvenile justice reform.”

Since 2014, Felix has chaired the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, where he has worked to reduce the number of juvenile detainees using an assessment tool to determine appropriate sentencing that facilitates rehabilitation, the release said.

Felix also helped develop the Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program, which prevents at-risk youth from entering the justice system, and worked with the General Assembly to implement the program statewide, the release said.

He was a deputy prosecutor in Johnson County and a Carmel City Court judge before being elected to Hamilton Circuit Court, where he has served for 14 years.

The Elkhart native earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a law degree from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.