Indiana Chief Justice Rush, Justice David deliver State of the Judiciary

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Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush told state leaders Wednesday the state’s judicial system is hard at work to increase public trust and innovate.

Rush also invited a fellow justice to help deliver her annual State of the Judiciary address.

Like every part of government, courts have had to adjust to the pandemic. And Rush said to help improve access to the justice system, the state will soon unveil a tool that could make it so some people don’t need to come to court at all.

“A new online platform for online dispute resolution will allow court customers to resolve their disputes at no cost and on their own time,” Rush said.

READ MORE: Holcomb delivers sixth State of the State address

Justice Steven David, the longest-serving member of the current state Supreme Court, is retiring this year. And Rush had David tell lawmakers about the initiatives he’s spearheaded in his time on the bench.

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That includes an ongoing Commission on Equity and Access in the Court System.

“Don’t be afraid of it; we’re not. It’s all about improving our systems," David said. "It’s our way of doing a friendly audit of our own processes.”

The governor will ultimately choose David’s replacement later this year.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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