The Honorable Mario Garcia was sworn in as Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana on April 5, 2021.  Judge Garcia was appointed to a new magistrate judgeship created for the Southern District of Indiana by the Judicial Conference of the United States. He is the first judge of Hispanic heritage to serve the Southern District of Indiana.

Judge Garcia is a 1995 graduate of Ball State University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice and criminology. He studied law at Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, where he graduated in 1999.

Upon graduation from law school, Judge Garcia joined the law firm of Brattain & Minnix (later known as Brattain Minnix Garcia). He became a partner in the firm in 2008 and eventually served as its Managing Member. Judge Garcia is a registered civil mediator as well. Throughout his 21+ year career as an attorney, Judge Garcia gained extensive courtroom experience in both civil and criminal law, appearing in thousands of hearings in Indiana's federal and state courts. Judge Garcia was a member of the Southern District of Indiana's Criminal Justice Act panel, through which he represented indigent clients. He also provided pro bono services for 10 years to participants in the District Court's Re-Entry and Community Help (REACH) Program, which helps individuals re-entering society after incarceration obtain access to housing, employment, and public assistance programs.

Judge Garcia previously served on the United States Sentencing Commission’s Practitioner’s Advisory Group as the Seventh Circuit Representative and currently serves on the District Court’s Local Rules Advisory Committee for the Southern District of Indiana. He regularly volunteers throughout the greater community, including for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter.  He served as a Trustee and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for The Orchard School and Member of the Board of Directors for La Plaza, Inc. (formerly The Hispanic Center, Inc., where he served as Board Chairman).  He also served as Chairman of the Board for the Indiana Federal Community Defenders, Inc.