Pence names Crown Point native to state Supreme Court

Gov. Mike Pence named Indianapolis attorney Geoffrey G. Slaughter to the Indiana Supreme Court Monday.

Pence announced his pick of Slaughter, who grew up in Crown Point and is the son of Guy Slaughter, a former longtime Post-Tribune editor and reporter, from among three finalists selected in March by the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission.

Slaughter’s appointment fills a vacancy on the five-member court and is Pence’s first appointment to the court. His swearing-in will be announced at a later date.

The 53-year-old Slaughter succeeds former Justice Brent Dickson, who retired last month before he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in July.

Twenty-nine people applied for a chance to replace Dickson. The commission chose 15 semifinalists before selecting as finalists Slaughter, St. Joseph Superior Judge Steven Hostetler and Boone Superior Court Judge Matthew Kincaid.

Slaughter graduated in 1989 from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. After a two-year stint as a law clerk for a federal judge, he joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP, a Chicago law firm, and worked there for five years.

From 1995 to 2001, Slaughter was special counsel to Indiana’s attorney general’s office. He’s been a partner since 2001 with Indianapolis law firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, handing securities-fraud claims, environmental disputes, antitrust class actions and other cases.

Slaughter was a finalist for the state Supreme Court in 2012, when then-Gov. Mitch Daniels tapped Loretta Rush for the bench.

Pence cited Slaughter’s experience in antitrust law and other legal matters for his selection.

Indiana University law professor Joel Schumm said the three finalists for the vacancy had spent “most or almost all of their lives” primarily handling complex civil cases involving businesses.

Schumm said many legal observers believed the court needed a new member with such extensive experience because recent retirements have left it with justices who largely worked as judges or prosecutors.

Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma hired Slaughter, rather than use the state attorney general’s office, to defend against a lawsuit filed by advocacy groups seeking emails between GOP Rep. Eric Koch of Bedford and utility companies. The groups sought the emails following an unsuccessful push last year by Koch, the chairman of the House Energy Committee, to cut payments for excess electricity generated by home solar power systems.

Both Slaughter’s parents are deceased. Guy Slaughter died in 2001 and Evelyn Slaughter died in 2007.

As a youngster, Geoff Slaughter often was the subject of his father’s column, “Seen From The Slaughter House.”

Chicago attorney Joseph A. Morris, a Gary native, shared a friendship with Slaughter that dates to their work as co-counsel on a case in Indianapolis about 15 years ago.

“The striking thing about Geoff Slaughter is this is a fellow whose life percolates with ideas,” said Morris. “He thinks a lot about the law.” Morris said he and Slaughter often trade electronic clips about interesting cases in various courts around the country and chat about them.

Morris said Slaughter’s areas of expertise were broad, from trade to civil law to First Amendment cases.

“His knowledge is encyclopedic,” Morris said. “I think this is a great day for Indiana.”

Post-Tribune staff writer Carole Carlson contributed to this story.

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