Indiana Court of Appeals Judge John T. Sharpnack, has been appointed to the Supreme Court’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education, Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard announced today.

Judge Sharpnack term will begin on January 1, 2005 and end December 31, 2009.

“Judge Sharpnack will be a tremendous asset to the CLE Commission. Not only is he a distinguished jurist, but his background in private practice will be bring an important perspective to the Commission’s work,” said Chief Justice Shepard.

Judge Sharpnack graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1955 and received his LL.B from the same school five years later. He was a partner with Sharpnack, Bigley, David and Rumple in Columbus, Ind. from 1963 until 1990. His term on the Court of Appeals began January 1, 1991.

The Commission has 11 members. They receive no salary for their service and each serves a term of five years.

The Commission is primarily responsible for approval of the individual educational opportunities that Indiana’s attorneys are required to receive and for approval of the sponsors who present the educational seminars. Additionally, the Commission sets standards for training courses for Indiana’s registered mediators and regulates attorney specialization in the state.