Holcomb makes final Court of Appeals appointment, names Lake County judge to bench

Gov. Eric Holcomb appointed Lake County Judge Stephen Scheele to the Indiana Court of Appeals Monday.

Holcomb said Scheele, a lifelong Lake County resident who’s been a county judge since 2019, is the “total package” — someone who will bring intellect to the position while also being approachable and relatable.

“A model, empathetic, humble,” Holcomb said.

Scheele said he hopes to be a leader on outreach — helping recruit people to the legal profession amid an attorney shortage — and ambassadorship, helping spread the Court of Appeals’ best practices.

“My words cannot accurately, adequately capture the great sense of honor that I feel,” Scheele said.

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Scheele is Holcomb’s seventh and final Court of Appeals appointment. Holcomb has now appointed nearly half of the state’s appellate bench.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.