The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard SB 137, sponsored by Rep. Fine and Rep. Slager, on magistrates and criminal trials, prohibiting a magistrate’s presiding at sentencing when (1) the magistrate had not also presided at trial and (2) the defendant objected to the magistrate presiding at sentencing. Author Sen. Randolph presented the bill to the Committee. A technical … [Read more...] about Magistrates and criminal trials
Service of process fees collected by a sheriff
The House Judiciary Committee heard SB 217, sponsored by Reps. Gutwein, McNamara, and Lawson, concerning service of process fees collected by a sheriff. Author Sen. Boots explained that this bill increases the service of process fee from $13 to $25 from a party requesting service of a writ, an order, a process, a notice, a tax warrant, or any other paper completed by the sheriff. … [Read more...] about Service of process fees collected by a sheriff
Appeals by the Attorney General
The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard SB 261, sponsored by Rep. Cox, allowing interlocutory criminal appeals by the Attorney General of a trial court’s order dismissing charges. Author Sen. Young presented the bill that was amended in the Senate to add a subsection (b) which would allow the State to challenge the sentence imposed in any appeal by a defendant, even if t … [Read more...] about Appeals by the Attorney General
Marion County Small Claims
The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard SB 523, Sen. R. Michael Young’s bill to make changes to the Marion County Small Claims courts, sponsored by Rep. Frizzell. Sen. Young explained that decisions by the Indiana Supreme Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on venue within the small claims court had adversely affected the caseload balances between the i … [Read more...] about Marion County Small Claims
State examiner, attorney general, and prosecuting attorneys
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard HB 1405 pertaining to state examiner, attorney general, and prosecuting attorneys, sponsored by Sen. Niemeyer. Author Rep. Slager explained that the bill authorizes concurrent criminal jurisdiction by the Attorney General and prosecuting attorney to prosecute certain violations committed by local public officers under the purview of the State … [Read more...] about State examiner, attorney general, and prosecuting attorneys