The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard HB 1531, Rep. Davisson’s bill on video conferencing by confined persons. The bill provides (1) court hearings by video conference for inmates in DOC facilities with video conferencing capacity, and (2) mental health evaluations of inmates in county jails ordered to be conducted via video conference with the mental health services p … [Read more...] about Video conferencing by confined persons
Judicial Administration
Court security fees and funds
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard Sen. Grooms’ SB 422 on court security fees and funds. This bill requires the clerk of a circuit court and the clerk of a city or town court to collect a court security fee of $2 in each action in which a person is required to pay a criminal costs fee or a civil costs fee. The bill also requires the clerks to distribute the court security fees c … [Read more...] about Court security fees and funds
Judgment dockets
The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard Rep. Richardson’s HB 1141 pertaining to judgment dockets. This bill was prepared at the request of the Supreme Court Records Management Committee to clarify changes made last session to the judgment docket. The bill specifies that the clerk of the circuit court is the official keeper of the judgment docket and shall keep the j … [Read more...] about Judgment dockets
Magistrates and criminal trials
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 t … [Read more...] about Magistrates and criminal trials
Court staff attorney pilot project
The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard HB 1039 authored by Rep. Washburne and Rep. DeLaney on the court staff attorney pilot project. This bill establishes a two-year pilot circuit and superior court assistance project administered by the Indiana Judicial Center to handle complex motions. The bill provides for legal assistance from an attorney, senior judge, or third … [Read more...] about Court staff attorney pilot project