Judge shortage prompts vote to amend constitution: Report

Indiana lawmakers are moving closer to expanding eligibility for municipal court judges by amending the state constitution. The Indiana House approved House Joint Resolution 1 in an 81-7 vote, and if the Senate also approves it, the measure will go before voters in the 2026 general election for ratification, reported NWI.com.

Currently, Indiana’s Constitution requires city and town court judges to live within the municipality they serve, which has made it difficult to find qualified candidates, especially in smaller communities. Rep. Mike Aylesworth (R-Hebron), who authored the amendment, pointed to a recent case where the Lowell Town Court judge had to be temporarily reappointed after moving out of town due to a lack of local attorneys willing to take the position.

The proposed amendment would allow qualified individuals living within the county or a neighboring county to serve as municipal court judges while still requiring courtrooms and records to remain in the respective municipality. This change aims to address Indiana’s ongoing shortage of attorneys and judges in small-town courts.