Robert D. Rucker

Robert D. Rucker (born 1947) was the 105th justice appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court. He retired May 12, 2017. Born in Canton, Georgia, Rucker grew up in Gary, Indiana. He joined the army and served in the 1st Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War, where he earned the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. He is a graduate of Indiana University (B.A. 1974) and Valparaiso University School of Law (J.D. 1976). He earned a Master of Laws degree in the judicial process from the University of Virginia Law School in 1998. Justice Rucker served as a Judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals, having been appointed to that position in 1991 by Indiana Governor Evan Bayh. He was the first African American to serve on the Indiana Court of Appeals and thus making him the first African American appellate judge in the State of Indiana. While on the Court of Appeals, Justice Rucker served as vice-chair of the Indiana Commission for Continuing Legal Education.