Indiana Supreme Court issues one opinion from May 15-21


The Indiana Supreme Court issued one opinion from May 15-21. As of May 21, the court issued 16 opinions in 2023 — 12 fewer than this point a year ago. The one opinion is below: 

  • Oberhansley v. State, where the court “affirmed Defendant’s sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole (LWOP) in connection with his conviction for the murder and burglary of his ex-girlfriend, holding that Defendant’s LWOP sentence was not inappropriate.”

From May 15-21, state supreme courts issued 186 opinions nationally. The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia issued the most with 21. State supreme courts in 15 states issued the fewest with zero. Courts where judges are elected have issued 121 opinions, while courts whose members are appointed have issued 65.

The Indiana Supreme Court is the state’s court of last resort and has five judgeships. The current chief of the court is Loretta H. Rush. The court issued 44 opinions in 2022 and 50 in 2021. Nationally, state supreme courts issued 7,423 opinions in 2022 and 8,320 in 2021. The courts have issued 2,660 opinions in 2023. Courts where judges are elected have issued 1,511 opinions, while courts whose members are appointed have issued 1,149. Indiana is a Republican trifecta, meaning Republicans control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.

Additional reading: