Local attorney aims for state’s top court

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PENDLETON — Pendleton attorney Bryce D. Owens is making his second run in as many years for a seat on the Indiana Supreme Court.

Owens, 57, is one of 20 eligible attorneys and judges who applied to replace Justice Robert D. Rucker, who is retiring this spring.

Rucker has served on the state’s highest court for 26 years. He is one of four justices who, along with the chief justice, comprise the court.

Owens is scheduled for a 20-minute first-round interview March 22 with the Judicial Nominating Commission, which is charged with coming up with three nominees for the governor to consider.

This is Owens’ third time applying to the court; he first applied about 17 years ago.

Last year, Owens was one of 30 people who applied for the seat that became available when Justice Brent E. Dickson retired April 29 after 30 years on the court.

According to the State of Indiana website, when there’s a vacancy, the Constitution requires a seven-person committee to nominate three people.

The governor makes the final choice, and “that person serves as a Supreme Court Justice for a minimum of two years before becoming subject to a retention vote at a General Election. If approved, he or she begins a 10-year term,” the website states.

Owens, a lifelong Madison County resident, obtained his law degree from the Indiana University School of Law in 1985. Owens works at the Pendleton law firm, Owens and Owens, where he started work in 1986. He works primarily in civil law but has served as a criminal defense lawyer on occasion. When his father, Doug, stopped practicing law in 2014, Bryce Owens became the sole practitioner.

He is married to Steffanie Owens, a Madison County commissioner.

According to the state website, Applicants for the court seat must have served as a lawyer in Indiana for 10 years or a trial court judge for five years.

Last time around, Owens cited his work as a Madison County deputy prosecuting attorney from 2011 to 2015 among his credentials.

Related to that, he worked on various efforts aimed at treating youth fairly and equally.

A second round of interviews is set for April 17-19. Then, after private discussion, the commission will select three candidates publicly. Gov. Eric Holcomb then will have 60 days to select the next justice.