Pursuing justice for victims, Attorney General Rokita's office prevails in 96% of civil and criminal appeals in first half of 2024

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 6:00 PM

Fulfilling a commitment to keep criminals behind bars and secure justice for victims, Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team won victories on behalf of Hoosiers in 96% of civil and criminal appeals in the first half of 2024.

“Every day, we work hard to protect Hoosiers from wrongdoers and pursue justice for victims,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Our impressive success in achieving this mission includes upholding convictions of child abusers, murderers and rapists. It’s a huge part of our work, and we will continue our record of keeping dangerous lawbreakers behind bars and out of our communities.”

In the first six months of 2024, Attorney General Rokita’s office closed out 956 appeals — of which 863 went through full briefings resulting in opinions from appellate courts. (Some cases are resolved early, such as when an appellant voluntarily dismisses the case.)

Of the 863 appeals leading to decisions, Attorney General Rokita’s team prevailed in 831 — for a 96% success rate. This workload comprised 253 civil cases (244 victories) and 610 criminal cases (587 victories).

Two recent examples of appellate victories include arguing successfully on behalf of 1) a 55-year prison sentence for an illegal alien who committed murder for hire in Bartholomew County and 2) the murder conviction of a domestic abuser who killed his girlfriend.

Attorney General Rokita expressed gratitude to Angela Sanchez, Chief Counsel of Appeals, and the entire appeals team.

“My appeals team works tirelessly to keep Hoosier families safe,” Attorney General Rokita said. “These dedicated public servants handle more than 1,000 criminal and civil appeals every year.”