Robert D. Rucker
Encyclopedia
Robert D. Rucker is the 105th justice appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court.
Born in Canton, Georgia
, Rucker grew up in Gary, Indiana
, and is a veteran of the Vietnam War
.
He is a graduate of Indiana University
(B.A. 1974) and Valparaiso University School of Law
(J.D. 1976). He earned a Master of Laws
degree in the judicial process from the University of Virginia Law School in 1998.
Justice Rucker served as a Judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals
, having been appointed to that position in 1991 by Indiana Governor Evan Bayh
. He was the first African American to serve on the Indiana Court of Appeals and thus making him the first African American appellate judge in the State of Indiana. While on the Court of Appeals, Justice Rucker served as vice-chair of the Indiana Commission for Continuing Legal Education.
As a lawyer, Justice Rucker served on the board of directors of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and on the board of directors of the Northwest Indiana Legal Services Organization. He also served as a deputy prosecuting attorney for Lake County, Indiana
, City Attorney for the City of Gary, and practiced general law in East Chicago, Indiana
.
Justice Rucker was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court by Governor Frank O'Bannon
in 1999. He is the second African American to serve on the Supreme Court of Indiana, succeeding Myra Selby, the first African American, and the only woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court of Indiana. Justice Rucker is the only Court of Appeals judge to ever be elevated to the Supreme Court. Since his appointment to the Supreme Court in 1999 he has served on the longest continuous group of justices to serve together in the Court's long and distinguished history, ten years and counting. Justice Rucker has authored over 450 majority opinions and issued over 100 dissents during his tenure on both the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
Some of his most important opinions on the Supreme Court include: Wrinkles v. State, 749 N.E.2d 1179 (Ind. 2002)(prohibited use of stun belt on defendant in courtroom); Saylor v. State, 765 N.E.2d 535 (Ind. 2002)(Indiana death penalty statute did not permit judges to unconstitutionally increase sentence beyond statutory maximum);State v. Quirk, 842 N.E.2d 334 (Ind. 2007); Anglemyer v. State, 868 N.E.2d 482 (Ind. 2007) as corrected on rehearing by 875 N.E.2d 218 (Ind. 2007); State v. Davis, 898 N.E.2d 281 (Ind. 2008); Wallace v. State, 905 N.E.2d 371 (Ind. 2009); and Myers v. Leedy, 915 N.E.2d 133 (Ind. 2009). His published writings include, The Right to Ignore the Law: Constitutional Entitlement Versus Judicial Interpretation, 33 Val. U. L. Rev. 449 (Spring 1999).
Justice Rucker has been a pioneer in many areas including his dedication to increasing diversity in the legal profession. He has done this in many ways including appointing women and lawyers of color to serve on various Supreme Court boards and commissions and consistently hiring lawyers of color to serve as his law clerks on the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
The Lake County (Indiana) Commissioners have recently renamed the Lake County courthouse in downtown Gary, Indiana after Justice Rucker. The courthouse is home to several Lake County Superior Courts. Commissioner Roosevelt Allen said the February 17, 2010 vote to rename the courthouse, “Was a vote in recognition of the distinguished, exemplary career of Justice Rucker. Black male role models such as President Obama and Justice Robert Rucker will inspire countless numbers of black males, both nationally and within our community, to aspire to greatness and help our nation to remain the pre-eminent country in the world.”
Justice Rucker is a member of the American Bar Association
, the Indiana Judges Association, the Indiana State Bar Association, the Marion County Bar Association, and is a Fellow of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. He is the chair of the Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission. He also serves as the current chair of the National Bar Association's Judicial Council
. Justice Rucker has received numerous awards throughout his career for his service and dedication to the bench and the bar, including the outstanding alumni achievement award from Valparaiso University School of Law.
Justice Rucker is the father of three children: James, Dawn and Fanon. Fanon A. Rucker is a Judge on the Hamilton County Municipal Court in Cincinnati, Ohio. Justice Rucker and Judge Rucker were recently honored as the first African-American father/son Justice/Judge combination in known American History.
Born in Canton, Georgia
Canton, Georgia
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 22,958.-Geography:Canton is located at ....
, Rucker grew up in Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
, and is a veteran of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
He is a graduate of Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
(B.A. 1974) and Valparaiso University School of Law
Valparaiso University School of Law
The Valparaiso University School of Law is located on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, a community located less than an hour from Chicago...
(J.D. 1976). He earned a Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
degree in the judicial process from the University of Virginia Law School in 1998.
Justice Rucker served as a Judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals
Indiana Court of Appeals
The Indiana Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level appellate court for the state of Indiana. It is the successor to the Indiana Appellate Court.-History:...
, having been appointed to that position in 1991 by Indiana Governor Evan Bayh
Evan Bayh
Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held...
. He was the first African American to serve on the Indiana Court of Appeals and thus making him the first African American appellate judge in the State of Indiana. While on the Court of Appeals, Justice Rucker served as vice-chair of the Indiana Commission for Continuing Legal Education.
As a lawyer, Justice Rucker served on the board of directors of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and on the board of directors of the Northwest Indiana Legal Services Organization. He also served as a deputy prosecuting attorney for Lake County, Indiana
Lake County, Indiana
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2010, its population was 496,005, making it Indiana's second-most populous county. The county seat is Crown Point. This county is part of Northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area. The county contains a mix of urban,...
, City Attorney for the City of Gary, and practiced general law in East Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East Chicago is located at ....
.
Justice Rucker was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court by Governor Frank O'Bannon
Frank O'Bannon
Frank Lewis O'Bannon was an American politician who was the 47th Governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003.-Background:...
in 1999. He is the second African American to serve on the Supreme Court of Indiana, succeeding Myra Selby, the first African American, and the only woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court of Indiana. Justice Rucker is the only Court of Appeals judge to ever be elevated to the Supreme Court. Since his appointment to the Supreme Court in 1999 he has served on the longest continuous group of justices to serve together in the Court's long and distinguished history, ten years and counting. Justice Rucker has authored over 450 majority opinions and issued over 100 dissents during his tenure on both the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
Some of his most important opinions on the Supreme Court include: Wrinkles v. State, 749 N.E.2d 1179 (Ind. 2002)(prohibited use of stun belt on defendant in courtroom); Saylor v. State, 765 N.E.2d 535 (Ind. 2002)(Indiana death penalty statute did not permit judges to unconstitutionally increase sentence beyond statutory maximum);State v. Quirk, 842 N.E.2d 334 (Ind. 2007); Anglemyer v. State, 868 N.E.2d 482 (Ind. 2007) as corrected on rehearing by 875 N.E.2d 218 (Ind. 2007); State v. Davis, 898 N.E.2d 281 (Ind. 2008); Wallace v. State, 905 N.E.2d 371 (Ind. 2009); and Myers v. Leedy, 915 N.E.2d 133 (Ind. 2009). His published writings include, The Right to Ignore the Law: Constitutional Entitlement Versus Judicial Interpretation, 33 Val. U. L. Rev. 449 (Spring 1999).
Justice Rucker has been a pioneer in many areas including his dedication to increasing diversity in the legal profession. He has done this in many ways including appointing women and lawyers of color to serve on various Supreme Court boards and commissions and consistently hiring lawyers of color to serve as his law clerks on the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
The Lake County (Indiana) Commissioners have recently renamed the Lake County courthouse in downtown Gary, Indiana after Justice Rucker. The courthouse is home to several Lake County Superior Courts. Commissioner Roosevelt Allen said the February 17, 2010 vote to rename the courthouse, “Was a vote in recognition of the distinguished, exemplary career of Justice Rucker. Black male role models such as President Obama and Justice Robert Rucker will inspire countless numbers of black males, both nationally and within our community, to aspire to greatness and help our nation to remain the pre-eminent country in the world.”
Justice Rucker is a member of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, the Indiana Judges Association, the Indiana State Bar Association, the Marion County Bar Association, and is a Fellow of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. He is the chair of the Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission. He also serves as the current chair of the National Bar Association's Judicial Council
Judicial Council
Judicial Council may refer to:*Canadian Judicial Council*Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church*Judicial council *Judicial Council of California...
. Justice Rucker has received numerous awards throughout his career for his service and dedication to the bench and the bar, including the outstanding alumni achievement award from Valparaiso University School of Law.
Justice Rucker is the father of three children: James, Dawn and Fanon. Fanon A. Rucker is a Judge on the Hamilton County Municipal Court in Cincinnati, Ohio. Justice Rucker and Judge Rucker were recently honored as the first African-American father/son Justice/Judge combination in known American History.