Randall T. Shepard
Encyclopedia
Randall Terry Shepard is the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.
in 1946. Shepard is a seventh generation Hoosier
. He is an Eagle Scout
and has received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
. He graduated from Princeton University
in 1969 and from the Yale Law School
in 1972, and earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia School of Law
in 1995.
Shepard served as executive assistant to Mayor Russell Lloyd of Evansville, and later as a special assistant to the Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. He was judge of the Vanderburgh County
Superior Court from 1980 to 1985. He was appointed the ninety-ninth justice of the Indiana Supreme Court by Governor
Robert D. Orr
in 1985. He was chosen to become the Chief Justice of Indiana in March 1987, then the youngest state chief justice. Chief Justice Shepard was a chairperson of Indiana's State Student Assistance Commission and a trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
for eleven years. He has also served as chair of the ABA Appellate Judges Conference and of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. He is currently the honorary chair and a member of the executive committee of the Indiana Landmarks. Shepard served as President of the National Conference of Chief Justices in 2005 and 2006.
In 2006, Shepard was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts
to be on the U.S. Judicial Conference Advisory Committee of Civil Rules, which the U.S. Supreme Court uses to form changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
In September 2005 Shepard was chosen by the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission
and reappointed by Governor
Mitch Daniels
to the Supreme Court. On November 4, 2008 the public voted to keep Shepard on the court in a statewide retention election.
In July 2007, Shepard and former Governor Joe Kernan were appointed by Daniels to co-chair the Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform.
As a justice, he has authored more than 800 majority opinions. He has also published more than 40 law review articles.
Shepard is married to Amy Macdonell and has one daughter, Martha, born in 1995, and the family lives in the Golden Hill Historic District of Indianapolis
. He occasionally teaches law at New York University
and Yale Law School
.
Biography
Randall Terry Shepard was born in LafayetteLafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
in 1946. Shepard is a seventh generation Hoosier
Hoosier
Hoosier is the official demonym for a resident of the U.S. state of Indiana. Although residents of most U.S. states typically adopt a derivative of the state name, e.g., "Indianan" or "Indianian", natives of Indiana rarely use these. Indiana adopted the nickname "Hoosier State" more than 150...
. He is an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
and has received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America . It is awarded to an Eagle Scout for distinguished service in his profession and to his community for a period of at least 25 years after attaining the level of Eagle Scout...
. He graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1969 and from the Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1972, and earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
in 1995.
Shepard served as executive assistant to Mayor Russell Lloyd of Evansville, and later as a special assistant to the Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. He was judge of the Vanderburgh County
Vanderburgh County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 171,922 people, 70,623 households, and 44,421 families residing in the county. The population density was 733 people per square mile . There were 76,300 housing units at an average density of 325 per square mile...
Superior Court from 1980 to 1985. He was appointed the ninety-ninth justice of the Indiana Supreme Court by Governor
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
Robert D. Orr
Robert D. Orr
Robert Dunkerson Orr was an American political leader and the 45th Governor of Indiana from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...
in 1985. He was chosen to become the Chief Justice of Indiana in March 1987, then the youngest state chief justice. Chief Justice Shepard was a chairperson of Indiana's State Student Assistance Commission and a trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
for eleven years. He has also served as chair of the ABA Appellate Judges Conference and of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. He is currently the honorary chair and a member of the executive committee of the Indiana Landmarks. Shepard served as President of the National Conference of Chief Justices in 2005 and 2006.
In 2006, Shepard was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts
John Roberts
John Glover Roberts, Jr. is the 17th and current Chief Justice of the United States. He has served since 2005, having been nominated by President George W. Bush after the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist...
to be on the U.S. Judicial Conference Advisory Committee of Civil Rules, which the U.S. Supreme Court uses to form changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
In September 2005 Shepard was chosen by the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission
Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission
The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission, which also serves as the Indiana Judicial Qualifications Commission, is a seven member panel chosen by the Indiana Bar Association and the Governor of Indiana to select judges to serve on the Indiana Circuit Court, Indiana Court of Appeals, and the...
and reappointed by Governor
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
Mitch Daniels
Mitch Daniels
Mitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels, Jr. is the 49th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. A Republican, he began his first four-year term as governor on January 10, 2005, and was elected to his second term by an 18-point margin on November 4, 2008. Previously, he was the Director of the...
to the Supreme Court. On November 4, 2008 the public voted to keep Shepard on the court in a statewide retention election.
In July 2007, Shepard and former Governor Joe Kernan were appointed by Daniels to co-chair the Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform.
As a justice, he has authored more than 800 majority opinions. He has also published more than 40 law review articles.
Shepard is married to Amy Macdonell and has one daughter, Martha, born in 1995, and the family lives in the Golden Hill Historic District of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. He occasionally teaches law at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
.