INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — James R. Sweeney II on Friday was appointed as the new chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, based in Indianapolis.
Sweeney was sworn in as a judge for the Southern District of Indiana on Sept. 24, 2018, after being unanimously confirmed by the Senate on Aug. 28, 2018.
Before his appointment as a district judge, Sweeney was a partner at Barnes & Thornburg law firm in Indianapolis, where he specialized in intellectual property and national security law.
He previously served as a law clerk for judges John Daniel Tinder and James L. Ryan.
Sweeney is a combat veteran and retired Marine Corps colonel. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Notre Dame Law School.
He succeeds Tanya Walton Pratt, who served as chief judge since March 20, 2021. She was the first person of color to serve as chief judge in Indiana. A news release from the court said that, under her leadership, the court managed a caseload 27% higher than the national average and closed nearly 18,000 cases.
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