Marie Kern

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Judge Marie Kern was elected for retention in November 2024. She was recommended to continue to serve on the Marion Superior Court bench by:

• Marion County Judicial Selection Committee
• Indianapolis Bar Association

Biography and Photo Courtesy of Judge Marie Kern.

Judge Marie Kern became a Master Commissioner in June 2008, serving Marion Superior Court at the Arrestee Processing Center and related criminal courts. Judge Kern became a Magistrate in 2014 and heard cases exclusively in the only paternity court in the State from 2010 until December 2020. Thereafter, she continued to serve citizens of Marion County hearing all case types in the Marion Superior Family Division, until she was appointed as a judge by the Governor in February 2024. She is now the Presiding Judge of Marion Superior D28, hearing major felony cases.

Prior to becoming a Master Commissioner, Judge Kern began her career in 1998 as a full-time public defender with the Marion County Public Defender Agency. In 2001, she became an associate at Kiefer & McGoff, working in the areas of criminal defense, family law, and attorney disciplinary actions. From there, Judge Kern established her own legal practice which focused on family law and criminal defense, including a part-time public defender contract representing defendants charged with major felony crimes.

Judge Kern earned her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University-Bloomington and her law degree from the Robert H. McKinney School of Law.  She has been admitted to the Indiana Bar since October 1998.