Candidate Statement
I am running to be the first judge of Hamilton County Superior Court 9. My 27 years of litigation experience in the Hamilton County courts, the last four on the bench, make me the most qualified candidate to ensure the court is ready on day one. As a new court, experience in the judicial system matters. My professional career has given me the exact experience needed to ensure Superior 9 is ready on day one. I have handled civil litigation, family law, and criminal cases as a lawyer and as a member of the judiciary.
Education
JD. IU McKinney School of Law
Occupational background
Lawyer, Judicial Officer
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Hamilton County's population has grown extremely fast. As such, the resources needed to serve the population has grown as well. With the addition of two new courts, the judiciary is keeping pace with the growth of the county to ensure public safety, and efficient resolution of legal matters. There is a need to make sure we elect the most qualified and dedicated persons to the position of judge so that we can ensure that the judiciary can function efficiently and effectively with the continued growth of the county.
My 27 years of courtroom experience in the Hamilton County Court system, the last four years as a judicial officer presiding over the Title IV-D Child Support court. This have given me the skills and experience necessary to handle the type of cases of Superior 9 will adjudicate, the ability manage a courtroom, and the judicial administrative skills necessary to staff and prepare a new court to be ready on day one. As a lawyer, mediator, arbitrator, and judicial officer I have developed the proper demeanor to manage a courtroom, the expertise to apply the law to the facts, and the compassion to understand the impact of judicial decisions. Over a long career, I have earned the knowledge that consistent, efficient and fair adjudication is important to trust in the criminal justice system and the civil litigation arena.
Candidate Statement
I’m currently a Hamilton County magistrate appointed by our elected judges. I love the work I do and wish to serve our community as a judge with my own courtroom and staff. I have well-established relationships throughout the county and am ready for the challenge of building a new court.
Education
J.D., Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Occupational background
Magistrate
Political Office(s) Held in the Past
None
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
As a magistrate, I’m on the bench every day and have presided over every type of case that could be filed in Superior 9: criminal, civil, and family law – initial hearings through jury trial. My training and experience make me ready to run a new court on Day 1.
Candidate Statement
With more than 35 years of community volunteerism, 29 years of legal experience, and over 40 years as a proud Carmel resident, I have spent my adult life serving Hamilton County. My career, community involvement, and personal life are grounded in perseverance, integrity, and a deep commitment to the people of this community. That same commitment is why I am running to serve as the first judge of Hamilton County Superior Court 9. Hamilton County deserves a judge who brings legal excellence, servant leadership, and a proven record of community service to the bench. I am asking for your vote.
Education
Indiana University, Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, May 11, 1997; Indiana University, Bachelor of Arts (Double Major: Economics & Political Science), May 7, 1994
Occupational background
Paul C. Sweeney brings 29 years of civil litigation/trial experience to the bench. Sweeney has represented his clients in 60+ bench, jury and arbitration trials in Hamilton County, Ind., and across the U.S. Sweeney spent his first 9 years of legal practice at Harrison & Moberly LLP, a small law firm that has had offices in Marion County and Hamilton County, and has now been at Ice Miller LLP, one of Indiana’s top law firms, the last 20 years. His honors include an AV-Preeminent Attorney rating by Martindale-Hubbell (‘14-pres.), recognition in The Best Lawyers in America (‘22-pres.) (commercial litigation, litigation-labor and employment, and labor law-management), and recognition as an Indiana Super Lawyer Rising Star (‘09-’12).
Yes, Indiana’s procedures for judicial ethics enforcement are sufficient because they balance accountability with judicial independence through due process. The Indiana Code of Judicial Conduct establishes clear, enforceable standards—especially Canons 1 and 2—requiring integrity, impartiality, competence, and fairness, while cautioning that enforcement must respect constitutional limits. Oversight by the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications ensures notice, an opportunity to respond, and a fair evidentiary process, including special masters/hearing officers and Supreme Court review. Due process is the system’s cornerstone, protecting judges from vague standards, retroactive punishment, or discipline for lawful but unpopular decisions. Advisory opinions further promote compliance, ensuring accountability without compromising impartial justice.
Under Indiana law, sentencing is governed by statute, not judicially created guidelines. What are often called "sentencing guidelines" are in fact statutory sentencing ranges with advisory sentences enacted by the Indiana General Assembly. I would not recommend the legislature modify Indiana's current framework because it already strikes the right balance between public safety, due process, justice, and mercy. It promotes consistency that protects communities while allowing judges to consider the individual before the court. Defendants are guaranteed notice, proportionality, and the right to be heard, ensuring punishment follows the law rather than impulse or emotion. Victims and the public receive accountability, while defendants may earn mercy through responsibility, rehabilitation, and remorse. This framework preserves trust in the system and ensures sentences are firm, fair, and rooted in the rule of law.
Case load management is the most pressing issue facing Hamilton County’s judicial system today. Rapid population growth has strained existing courts, leading to longer wait times for victims, families, businesses, and plaintiffs/defendants awaiting their day in court. That reality is why two new Superior Courts were created—to restore timely access to justice. Efficient docket management is not about speed alone; it ensures public safety, protects defendants’ due‑process rights, and delivers fair outcomes when they matter most. Adding courts means more hearing time, faster resolutions, and a system that works for the people it serves.
My career reflects servant leadership grounded in experience, service, and results. For 29 years, I have managed cases of all sizes, from small claims to complex civil litigation, trying cases where preparation, efficiency, and sound judgment were essential to achieving just outcomes. That experience translates directly to what Hamilton County Superior Court 9 needs most: effective docket management that moves cases promptly while ensuring fairness for every party. With more than 35 years of sustained community service, I understand the real human cost of delay for victims, families, businesses, and defendants alike. As Hamilton County continues to grow, we need a judge who can handle increasing caseloads without sacrificing due process or public safety. A servant leader listens first, prepares relentlessly, and works every day to ensure justice is timely, fair, and worthy of this community. That is the judge I will be.
