Governor Asks Supreme Court If Hill’s Suspension Means He Can Appoint a New Attorney General

Governor Eric Holcomb is asking for clarification on whether he can appoint a new attorney general, now that Curtis Hill’s law license has been suspended. In a document filed with the Indiana Supreme Court Tuesday, the governor’s attorneys note that a prosecutor has to be duly licensed to practice law under state statute, and Hill wouldn’t be allowed to fulfill many of his duties during the 30-day suspension.

Hill previously announced that he’s directed to view full source of his chief deputy to handle his office’s legal operations while he’s suspended. But the Governor’s Office argues that Indiana Code doesn’t mention this as a possibility.

Now, Governor Holcomb is asking the Supreme Court to clarify whether the temporary suspension of an attorney general’s law license creates a vacancy. If that’s the case, it would be up to the governor to appoint someone to fill the remainder of his term.