Young and Donnelly Vote to Confirm Sweeney for Indiana’s Southern District Court

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) today voted to confirm James R. Sweeney II, of Indianapolis, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana. 

“As a fellow Marine and Naval Academy grad, I can say with great confidence that Jim is the right public servant to serve Indiana’s Southern District. I am pleased that the Senate voted to confirm him today, and I am eager for him to get to work relieving one of the most overworked courts in the nation,” said Senator Young. 

“I am pleased that the Senate confirmed Jim Sweeney to serve the Southern District of Indiana. With his commitment to public service, work ethic, and strong desire to administer justice in the courts, I am confident he will serve Hoosiers in the Southern District well,” said Senator Donnelly.

Since Mr. Sweeney’s nomination was announced in November 2017, Senator Young has emphasized the need for his confirmation in order to reduce the caseload the court faces. In the 12-month period ending June 30, 2017, the Southern District of Indiana was the second most overworked court in the nation, with 915 filings per judgeship. 

James R. Sweeney II is currently a partner at Barnes and Thornburg in Indianapolis, where he co-chairs the Defense, Aerospace and National Security Practice Group and focuses heavily on intellectual property law. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1983. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1983-1992, achieving the rank of Captain, and in the Marine Corps Reserves until 2013, retiring as a Colonel. Jim graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1996 where he served as editor in chief of the Notre Dame Law Review. 

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