Two private attorneys with markedly different professional paths are competing for the Clinton County Superior Court judgeship in the Republican primary this May, bringing contrasting backgrounds, legal experiences, and campaign trajectories into focus.
Shaun Rountree, a longtime Clinton County practitioner, points to more than two decades of legal experience and deep local ties as the foundation of his candidacy. Rountree and his wife, Alisha, returned to Frankfort in 2012 to raise their family, a decision he says reflected a commitment to community and shared Midwestern values. The couple are raising five children in Clinton County.
Rountree began his legal career in Evansville with what was then the city’s largest law firm, practicing banking law, commercial litigation, and title work. He later practiced in Florida, where he was licensed to practice law while continuing work in complex commercial litigation and business transactions. After opening a private practice with his wife, Rountree expanded into family law and criminal defense, gaining extensive jury and bench trial experience.
Since returning to Clinton County, Rountree has handled appointed juvenile and criminal cases in both Circuit and Superior Courts. His practice has included matters ranging from traffic infractions to high-level felony cases, as well as civil collections, family law, guardianships, adoptions, CHINS cases, and real estate matters.
Rountree describes this as “county seat practice,” noting that judges in smaller jurisdictions must be prepared to handle a wide range of cases on any given docket. He says that experience, combined with long-standing involvement in the local court system, prepared him to seek the judgeship. Find out more at vote4shawnrountree.com.
Tom Little, Clinton County’s current county attorney, is also seeking the seat. Little entered the legal profession after leaving a career in corporate sales, a move he has described as a search for more meaningful work. After being sworn into the Indiana bar in 2012, Little joined his family’s law firm and has practiced there for more than a decade.
If elected, Little has said he would focus on modernizing court operations and pursuing the creation of a county alcohol and drug court aimed at rehabilitation through court-supervised treatment. He has also emphasized collaboration with local agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Little’s tenure as county attorney, however, has placed him at the center of several high-profile disputes involving the Clinton County Commissioners and Sheriff Rich Kelly. Those conflicts have drawn public attention and ongoing legal debate. Questions have also been raised regarding Little’s representation connected to those matters, including a pending case involving allegations of attorney malpractice. Little has not been accused of wrongdoing in the judgeship race itself, but the controversies have become part of the public conversation surrounding his candidacy.
Little’s campaign also encountered early complications. His initial announcement included photographs taken inside the Superior Court courtroom, which were later removed after a complaint was filed with the Indiana Judicial Qualifications Committee. The committee required the images to be taken down to comply with judicial campaign rules.
Public engagement between the two campaigns has differed. Observers have noted limited activity on Little’s campaign social media presence, as well as criticism regarding technical and grammatical issues on his campaign website. His campaign account has also drawn attention for publicly following a social media profile linked to an OnlyFans account.
The candidates also differ in their political histories. Rountree has identified as a Republican voter since his first election participation in 1996. Little, by contrast, was historically affiliated with the Democratic Party before switching parties in more recent years.
Both candidates are seeking the Republican nomination in May, with the winner advancing to the general election.