Indiana chief justice plans to modernize court system

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush said Wednesday she plans to give the state's judiciary system a technological face-lift.

During her first State of the Judiciary speech to the General Assembly, Rush announced plans to modernize the courts with an electronic-filing system that she said will help save time and taxpayer dollars.

"Her initiative for the e-filing will finally bring Indiana into the 21st century," House Judiciary committee chairman Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, said after the address. "It's an essential part to expedite justice."

Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said that the speech was "historic in nature" since Rush is the first female to serve as chief justice in Indiana but that her gender was hardly the focal point.

"Rush did a wonderful job outlining some of the challenges that lie ahead and also some of the solutions," Bosma said.

Rush, a former Tippecanoe County judge who was appointed to the high court by former Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2012, highlighted pilot programs geared toward improving pretrial release decisions. Rush said the programs, which begin this year, will help reduce the number of low-level offenders awaiting trial in county jails.

Rush also called for the creation of a specialty court to better handle complex commercial and business cases. The electronic filing and the business court model will "promote an attractive, predictable and consistent climate for doing business in Indiana," Rush said.

Rush was selected by the Judicial Nominating Commission in August to succeed Brent E. Dickson as chief justice.