Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb selected Ball State alumnus Christopher M. Goff as the 110th member of the Indiana Supreme Court today.
In a press release, Holcomb said that Goff is "a critical, forward thinker with the ability to relate to everyday Hoosiers."
Goff, 45, graduated summa cum laude from Ball State University in 1994 and serves as the Wabash County Superior Court Judge. He will replace Justice Robert D. Rucker who retired last month after nearly 18 years on the Indiana Supreme Court.
"To say that I am humbled in this moment would be an understatement," Goff said in a press release. "I am about to follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest jurists in the history of our great state."
Goff went on to say, "I keenly aware that I am not replacing Justice Robert Rucker; I am merely succeeding him."
The other finalists for the position included Clark County Circuit Court Judge Vicki L. Carmichael and Boone County Superior Court Judge Matthew C. Kincaid.
Goff, a Wabash, Indiana native, began his role as the Wabash County Superior Court Judge in 2005.
During his time in Wabash County, Goff took action to reduce the effects of drug abuse in the community. He implemented two courts in his community – the Wabash County Drug Court and the Family Drug Treatment Court – in an effort to reduce multiple offenders and help save lives.
Before his appointment to the Wabash Superior Court, Goff maintained a private practice as a partner in a Huntington law firm, served as a part-time child support commissioner for the Wabash Circuit Court and was a part-time public defender for two years.
Other organizations that Goff is a part of include the Indiana Domestic Violence Prevention Partnership and the Northeast Indiana Regional Mental Health Court – both working to address issues facing Indiana courts.
What others are saying
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb - "To select a member of our state's highest court is a great responsibility, one I am humbled to make on behalf of Indiana's citizens. I am glad to share that we have an outstanding appointment in Christopher Goff.
"He has profound respect for the Constitution and the rights and principles embodied within it. What's more, he is a critical, forward thinker with the ability to relate to everyday Hoosiers. These qualities make him uniquely qualified to serve."
Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush - “The Indiana Judiciary welcomes Christopher Goff to the Supreme Court. The legal profession and his local community already know of Judge Goff’s superb legal abilities; now the entire state will benefit from his wisdom and integrity.
"He is a faithful servant to the Constitution and the laws of our great state and nation. Governor Holcomb and his team have our gratitude for the tremendous work they put into the appointment of Indiana’s 110th Justice.”