The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 137, Sen. Bray’s bill on magistrates and criminal trials. This bill provides that a magistrate may not preside over a criminal trial or sentencing hearing if the defendant timely requests that the elected circuit court or superior court judge preside. The amendment, adopted by consent, requires that the same magistrate must preside over the trial and the sentencing. The amended bill passed 9-1.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/137.