Indiana Supreme Court Justice Loretta Rush has been chosen to lead the court as the state's first female chief justice.
The Judicial Nominating Commission on Wednesday chose Rush to succeed Justice Brent Dickson as the high court's leader over fellow justices Mark Massa, Steven David and Robert Rucker. Dickson announced in June that he would step down as chief justice but remain an associate justice.
"I look forward to the day that it's unremarkable that there's a woman on this court or a woman chief justice, but I'm thrilled to be a woman chief justice on the Indiana Supreme Court," Rush remarked.
Dickson succeeded Randall Shepard as chief justice in 2012. He faces mandatory retirement when he turns 75 in 2016.
Rush is a former Tippecanoe County judge and was appointed by former Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2012. She is the first woman to serve on the state Supreme Court since Myra Selby stepped down in 1999 after five years on the bench.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
