The House Ways and Means Committee heard SB 256 concerning courts and judicial officers sponsored by Reps. McNamara, Steuerwald, and Torr. The bill was amended by consent and now provides:
- The interim committee on courts and the judiciary (committee) shall review, consider, and make recommendations concerning requests for new courts, new judicial officers, and changes in jurisdiction of existing courts in each even numbered year;
- Provides that in each even numbered year the committee shall: (1) identify each county in which the number of courts or judicial officers exceeds the number used by the county for a particular year; and (2) determine the number of years in which the number of courts or judicial officers in the county has exceeded the number used by the county and requires the office of judicial administration to post the required information on its Internet web site;
- Establishes the Clark circuit courts No. 5 and No. 6, beginning January 1, 2023. Provides for the election of the judges of each of these circuit courts at the November 2022 general election;
- Establishes a sixth circuit court in Delaware County and removes the requirement that Delaware circuit courts 4 and 5 each have a standard small claims and misdemeanor docket;
- Establishes a third superior court in Marshall County;
- Allows the judge of the Gibson circuit court and superior court to jointly appoint a magistrate to serve both courts;
- Allows the judges of the Hamilton circuit and superior courts to jointly appoint an additional magistrate to serve the Hamilton County courts;
- Allows the judges of the Jennings circuit and superior courts to jointly appoint a magistrate to serve the Jennings County courts;
The bill passed as amended 21-0.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/senate/256