Ryan D Hatfield Receives League's 2024 Making Democracy Work Award
Published on 7/2/2024
Representing Indiana House District 77, Hatfield was elected to the General Assembly in 2016. He serves as Assistant Leader of the Indiana House Democrats and is the ranking minority member of the House Judiciary and Employment and Labor and Pensions Committees. In February, 2024 he announced that he would run for Vanderburgh County Circuit Court Judge, making 2024 his last session.
In bestowing the Award we said this: “Ryan has been a leader at the State House, where he provides a much-needed voice for voting rights and nonpartisan redistricting. A father himself, Ryan works to improve Indiana’s public schools as well as being a stalwart champion of women’s reproductive rights and affordable prescription costs. And he earned our respect every time we hosted a Meet Your Legislator session, because he always showed up! Thank you, Ryan, for the many ways that you strive to Make Democracy Work!”
Prior to serving in the General Assembly and joining the Hatfield Law Office, LLC, he was a deputy prosecutor in Vanderburgh County. As a member of the Vanderburgh County Treatment Court, as well as the Veterans Court, he worked to transition drug-addicted offenders into rehabilitation and back into their community.
He is one of 300 Commissioners in the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. He has earned distinctions such as Rue’s Ratings’ Best Attorneys of America®, Top 10% in the USA by Lawyers of Distinction, and The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. In 2018, Rep. Hatfield was recognized by Indiana Farm Bureau as an Emerging Leader. In March 2024, he was honored with the Civility Award by the Association of Retired Members of the Indiana General Assembly (ARMIGA).
Ryan’s wife, Kendra, is a pediatric registered nurse at St. Vincent’s Evansville. They have three children and are active on local boards and committees, particularly for the protection and care of children.