Panel to interview candidates

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A judicial panel will interview 14 applicants for a vacancy on the Indiana Court of Appeals next week.

Seven men and seven women have applied for the vacancy that will be created by the retirement of Judge Carr Darden.

Darden was appointed by Govenor Evan Bayh in 1994.

The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission will interview the candidates Wednesday at the Statehouse.

Second interviews will be conducted June 4-5.

The commission then will select three finalists whose names will be submitted to Govenor Mitch Daniels, who will make the appointment.

The judicial appointment is one of three that Daniels must make this year.

Chief Justice Randall Shepard retired in March, and Daniels appointed his former counsel, Mark Massa, to the court.

Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan plans to retire this summer.