Court to create a Supreme Court Law Library. The library grew to become the primary legal library for the state and includes more than seventy-thousand volumes. The Court's caseload continued to grow over time. In 1881, the general assembly approved the creation of a five-member panel of commissioners to assist the justices in administrative tasks. Even this was not enough to handle the load. In 1891, the Appellate Court of Indiana was created to handle cases of lower importance. At first the appellate court only took a small portion of the Supreme Court's caseload, but its responsibility gradually increased. In 1970, state constitutional amendments reorganized the Court. The constitution renamed the Appellate Court the Indiana Court of Appeals. With the formation of the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court could choose which cases it would hear and which cases it would leave to the lower courts. Constitutional amendments also lengthened judicial terms to ten years and changed the limits on the size of the Court to a minimum of five members and a maximum of nine. The method of selecting justices was changed from statewide election to appointment by the governor. The amendment also provided for a Judicial Nominating Commission to choose candidates. Justices also became subject to a retention election. In addition, the office of chief justice became permanent. Previously the title rotated among the justices. In 2004, the Indiana General Assembly created the Supreme Court Division of Administration, legalizing and expanding the role of the clerks of the Court. Landmark cases The Court has heard several cases that have had a major impact on Indiana as well as others that have set nationwide precedents. The first of these cases, Lasselle v. State (1820), where the Court overturned a circuit court decision that tested slave ownership in the new state by stating "the framers of our constitution intended a total and entire prohibition of slavery," and resulted in all slaves in Indiana being freed. In the Fall Creek Massacre case (1823), State v. Hudson, the Court upheld a lower court's finding that crimes committed against Native Americans were punishable under American laws. This decision lead to the first execution of a white man for crimes against natives. In the Falkenburg v. Jones case (1854), Indiana became the first state to establish the right for a defendant to obtain court records free of charge. The 1909 case of Woessner v.