Marion Superior Court (Retention) - Melanie Kendrick
Marion County, Indiana
My vote power
Retention race
Election date
November 3, 2026 · General election
About this office
- Deciding trials in the county
- Ruling on evidence and setting sentences in criminal cases
- Deciding family, probate, and civil disputes
Affects: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights,
Melanie Kendrick
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Melanie Kendrick is an incumbent Marion Superior Court judge standing for retention in 2026. Recent Indiana appellate decisions identify her as the trial judge in Marion juvenile matters, and the retention committee found her suitable for another term.
Track record
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 1 favorable
As the Marion County juvenile judge, allowed a gun taken in a police street stop to be used as evidence, rejecting the teen's claim that the search broke the Fourth Amendment, and found him delinquent for carrying a firearm. The Indiana Court of Appeals held the stop and search were reasonable and upheld the ruling.
April 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: public.courts.in.gov · researched July 13, 2026