Governor Mike Pence has made his pick to fill a vacancy on the Indiana Court of Appeals – the first such appointment Pence has made in his two and a half years in office. His selection, announced Friday, is Marion County Judge Robert Altice.
Altice has been through this process before – three times he’s been nominated to fill an Appeals Court vacancy. And as Altice put it, the third time was the charm.
The Marion County Superior Court judge and former Marion County Deputy Prosecutor was chosen from three nominees to fill the seat of Appeals Court Judge Ezra Friedlander, who’s retiring after 22 years in the post.
Altice says he knows he has big shoes to fill.
“I hope that my past serving the public both as a trial judge, deputy prosecutor, and civil litigator has prepared me for what I’m about to learn and about to do,” Altice said.
Governor Pence, making his first appointment to the Appeals Court, says he received glowing reviews about Altice.
“Throughout this career, Judge Altice has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to justice, unquestioned integrity, and a profound level of fair-mindedness,” Pence said.
The governor also notes Altice received the highest approval rating of any judicial candidate from an Indianapolis Bar Association survey.