News Archive
Six IU McKinney Alumni Under Consideration for Indiana Supreme Court
02/10/2022
A total of six alumni of the IU McKinney School of Law have applied for the upcoming vacancy on the Indiana Supreme Court, including four current judges and an officer of the high court. Justice Steven David, ’82, announced he will retire in fall 2022.
The IU McKinney alumni who hope to be named to the vacancy include:
- Justin P. Forkner, ’10, chief administrative officer, Indiana Supreme Court Office of Judicial Administration, Indianapolis
- Judge Ryan K. Gardner, ’04, Marion Superior Court
- Judge Dana J. Kenworthy, ’01, Grant Superior Court
- Curtis E. Shirley, ’91, Law Office of Curtis E. Shirley, Carmel
- Judge Mark E. Spitzer, ’90, Grant Circuit Court
- Judge Lisa L. Swaim, ’94, Cass Superior Court
The Judicial Nominating Commission, led by Chief Justice Loretta Rush, will decide which candidates will be asked to participate in initial interviews in late February to early March. A group of semifinalists will then be selected for a second round of interviews in April. The JNC will then select three finalists, whose names will be submitted to Gov. Eric Holcomb, who will make the final selection.
Justice David is currently the longest-serving justice on the high court. He was named the 106th justice in 2010.
After graduating from IU McKinney, Justice David served in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps on active duty until 1986 and on reserve duty until he joined the high court. He was deployed after September 11 to Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, where he served as trial counsel, defense counsel, and military judge and commander.
Justice David was born in Allen County, grew up in Bartholomew County, and has lived in Boone County, where he served as a trial court judge, for 22 years. His civilian legal career began in Columbus, Indiana, where he focused on personal injury, family law, and civil litigation. He later became in-house counsel for Mayflower Transit before moving to Boone County.
As an adjunct professor at IU McKinney, Justice David teaches contract law for Master of Laws students, and evidence. He has provided opportunities for LL.M. students through intensive three-day immersion programs and has visited some of his former students in their home countries after they complete their legal studies in Indianapolis. He delivered the address during the law school’s graduation celebration program in 2017.
After retiring, Justice David has said he intends to serve as a senior judge, will continue to serve as chair of the Commission on Equity and Access and the Indiana Conference on Legal Education Opportunity.
