Legislative Update

Magistrates and criminal trials

Filed Under: Judicial Administration

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 137 authored by Sen. Randolph and Sen. Tomes regarding magistrates and criminal trials. This bill requires the elected circuit or superior court judge, rather than a magistrate, to preside over a criminal trial or sentencing hearing if the defendant so requests in writing no later than 10 days after the omnibus date. An amendment was adopted … [Read more...] about Magistrates and criminal trials

Service of process fees collected by a sheriff

Filed Under: Judicial Administration

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 217 on service of process fees collected by a sheriff authored by Sen. Boots. This bill authorizes the sheriff to collect a fee of $25 (the current fee is $13) 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. The bill also removes the current limit on charging … [Read more...] about Service of process fees collected by a sheriff

Substantive problems in the Indiana Code

Filed Under: Technical Corrections

The Senate Civil Law Committee heard SB 199, authored by Sen. Bray and prepared by the Code Revision Commission, on substantive problems in the Indiana Code. This bill resolves various nontechnical conflicts and problems not suitable for resolution in the annual technical corrections bill, including statutes that have been both amended and repealed, ambiguous language and … [Read more...] about Substantive problems in the Indiana Code

Judicial retirement age

Filed Under: Judicial Administration

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 12, authored by Sen. Buck and Sen. Rogers, on judicial retirement age. This bill requires justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the Court of Appeals to retire at 80 years of age, instead of 75 years of age. The bill passed 5-4. Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/12. … [Read more...] about Judicial retirement age