The House Ways and Means Committee heard HB 1110, authored by Rep. Stemler and Rep. Steuerwald, originally allowing appointment of a third Clark circuit court magistrate. The bill was amended to allow the judge of the Vanderburgh circuit court to appoint a second full-time magistrate and to allow the judge of the Greene circuit court and the judge of the Greene superior court to jointly appoint one full-time magistrate. It also allows a magistrate to approve and accept criminal plea agreements, approve agreed settlements concerning civil matters, and approve decrees of dissolution, settlement agreements, and any other agreements of the parties in domestic relations actions or paternity actions. It also allows the judges of the Marion superior court to appoint four additional full-time magistrates after December 31, 2015. The amended bill passed 15-0.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/house/1110.