Legend Award Honoree Profile – Hon. Paul D. Mathias

For decades, Hon. Paul D. Mathias has dedicated his life to public service, civic education, and mentoring future generations of Hoosiers. As a judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals and a longtime supporter of the We the People program, Judge Mathias has left a lasting impact on Indiana’s civic community through both his professional career and volunteer leadership.

The Indiana Bar Foundation is proud to recognize Hon. Paul D. Mathias as the 2026 Legend Award honoree.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to this point in your career?

Judge Mathias describes himself simply as “a public-school kid from rural Allen County” who benefited from supportive parents, great teachers, close friends, and family throughout his life.

After graduating from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, he spent several years in private practice before pursuing opportunities on the bench. He first served as Allen County’s small claims referee before being appointed to the Allen Superior Court in 1989 and later to the Indiana Court of Appeals in 2000.

Q: What does receiving this award mean to you?

Judge Mathias said he was both surprised and humbled by the recognition.

“I was really surprised when it was announced,” he shared. “I’m deeply humbled to join the outstanding past recipients.”

Q: Who has supported or inspired you along the way?

One of the most influential people in Judge Mathias’s life was his high school Spanish teacher, Jackie Foelber, who encouraged him to apply for a scholarship to study abroad in Spain.

When financial barriers threatened the opportunity, Foelber organized a candy sale at his school to help fund the trip. The experience abroad expanded Judge Mathias’s perspective and ultimately inspired him to apply to Ivy League schools, leading him to attend Harvard University.

He also credits his parents and his wife for their unwavering support and sacrifices throughout his life.

Q: Are there any projects or goals you’re especially excited about?

For Judge Mathias, one passion has remained constant: the We the People program.

“Each fall, I look forward to meeting a new team at Hamilton Southeastern,” he said.

Over the years, he has helped coach multiple teams at several high schools (at the same time for years) and has remained actively involved in mentoring students through the program. He also continues to focus on serving Hoosiers through his work on the Court of Appeals. Outside of the courtroom, Judge Mathias looks forward to making his hobbies of travel, woodworking, photography and model trains fulltime fun in retirement.

Q: How did your involvement with We the People begin?

Judge Mathias has been connected to We the People since the program’s earliest years in Indiana.

After serving as a judge during the program’s first year, the wife of a local educator who had led the effort asked Judge Mathias to take over the program in Northeast Indiana following the unexpected passing of that educator. Together with his father, a retired social studies teacher, Judge Mathias helped build what became a longstanding regional We the People program.

“We the People gives a lot back to me,” he said. “And has over the decades that I’ve been involved with it.”

Q: What advice would you give to someone hoping to make a similar impact?

Judge Mathias believes a meaningful life begins with finding a purpose greater than oneself.

“The most important thing is to find a purpose in life that you love, but that is much greater than yourself,” he said. “That’s what We the People has been for me and always will be.”

Q: Do you have a motto or quote that guides you?

Judge Mathias shared several guiding principles that have shaped both his personal and professional life.

“I have found over the years that I am at my best when I am helping others be their best,” he said.

He also reflected on two sayings he frequently returns to: “We reap what we sow,” and Abraham Lincoln’s belief that “most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Through his decades of service, mentorship, and commitment to civic education, Hon. Paul D. Mathias has helped shape generations of engaged citizens across Indiana and beyond.