Indiana Asks Court to Lift 20-Year Monument Ban

Indiana AG - Newsroom

Filed December 30th, 2025

Detected April 5th, 2026

Summary

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and Governor Mike Braun announced on December 30, 2025, that the state filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana seeking to lift a more than 20-year-old injunction blocking placement of a donated historical monument on Indiana Statehouse grounds. The monument, a gift from the Indiana Limestone Institute, displays the Ten Commandments, the Bill of Rights, and the Preamble to the Indiana Constitution.

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What changed

The Indiana state government filed a motion in federal court on December 30, 2025, requesting the removal of a two-decade-old injunction that prevents placement of a historical monument at the Indiana Statehouse. The monument, donated by the Indiana Limestone Institute, would feature the Ten Commandments on one side, the Bill of Rights on the opposite side, and the Preamble to the Indiana Constitution on the smaller sides. The state invokes a federal rule allowing courts to lift old orders when the law has significantly changed. A similar monument previously stood on the Statehouse lawn for over 30 years until being vandalized in 1991.\n\nThis is a routine court filing seeking procedural relief; it does not create new compliance obligations for regulated entities. The outcome will depend on judicial determination. The filing demonstrates Indiana's position that the monument represents historical recognition appropriate for the Statehouse grounds alongside other heritage monuments.

Source document (simplified)

Governor Mike Braun and Attorney General Todd Rokita Ask Federal Court to Lift 20-Year Ban on Historical Monument at Indiana Statehouse

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

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Add to calendar Governor Mike Braun and Attorney General Todd Rokita Ask Federal Court to Lift 20-Year Ban on Historical Monument at Indiana Statehouse

Attorney General Todd Rokita and Governor Mike Braun announced this week that Indiana has filed a motion in federal court asking to remove a more than 20-year-old injunction that blocks the placement of a donated historical monument on the Indiana Statehouse grounds.

The motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana in Indianapolis, seeks relief under a federal rule that allows courts to lift old orders when the law has significantly changed.

The monument—a gift from the Indiana Limestone Institute—displays the Ten Commandments on one large side, the Bill of Rights on the opposite side, and the Preamble to the Indiana Constitution on the smaller sides. A similar monument stood peacefully on the Statehouse lawn for over 30 years until it was vandalized in 1991.

“The Statehouse grounds feature many monuments and markers celebrating Indiana’s and America’s heritage,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said. “This monument belongs among them as a reminder of core principles that have guided our nation. After all these years, it’s time to place this historical recognition where Hoosiers and visitors can appreciate its significance in our common story.”

The original injunction was based on a Supreme Court test from 1971 that has since been abrogated. Recent high-court decisions, including one upholding a Ten Commandments display at the Texas Capitol, now evaluate such monuments based on America’s long-standing history and traditions rather than the old standard.

“This monument reflects foundational texts that have shaped our Nation’s laws, liberties, and civic life for generations,” Governor Mike Braun said. “Given the clear shift in constitutional law and the long history of similar displays across the country, we ask the court to lift this outdated injunction. Restoring this historical monument is about honoring our heritage and who we are as Hoosiers.

The monument remains in Bedford, Indiana, and would be placed near its original intended location if the court grants the motion.

Read the brief here.

A headshot of Attorney General Rokita is available for download.