Citations Affected: IC 33-4; IC 33-5; noncode.
Synopsis: Delaware County courts. Establishes a unified court for
Delaware County by combining the current Delaware circuit court and
the four Delaware superior courts into a unified circuit court with five
judges. Specifies that the superior court judges serving on June 30,
2000, serve as judges of the unified Delaware circuit court.
Effective: July 1, 2000.
November 23, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary.
January 20, 2000, reported favorably _ Do Pass.
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
courts and court officers.
SECTION 1.
IC 33-4-1-18
IS AMENDED TO READ AS
FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2000]: Sec. 18. (a) The county of
Delaware in said State, shall constitute the Forty-sixth Judicial Circuit.
(b) There are five (5) judges of the Delaware circuit court.
SECTION 2.
IC 33-4-12
IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS
A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
1, 2000]:
Chapter 12. Delaware Circuit Court
Sec. 1. (a) The Delaware circuit court is a court of general
jurisdiction with five (5) judges. The divisions of the court shall be
known as Delaware circuit court No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, and No.
5. The county of Delaware constitutes the judicial district of the
court and each of the court's divisions. The court shall maintain the
following dockets:
(1) Small claims.
(2) Minor offenses and violations.
(3) Criminal.
(4) Juvenile.
(5) Civil.
(6) Probate.
(b) The assignment of judges of the court to the dockets
specified in subsection (a) shall be by rule of the court. However,
Delaware circuit court No. 4 and Delaware circuit court No. 5 shall
each have a standard small claims and misdemeanor docket.
Sec. 2. The judges of the Delaware circuit court shall select from
among themselves a presiding judge of the court. The presiding
judge shall be selected for a minimum term of twelve (12) months.
Sec. 3. Whenever action of the entire court is required, including
selection of a presiding judge under section 2 of this chapter and
adoption of rules under section 5 of this chapter, the judges of the
court shall act in concert. If the judges disagree, the decision of the
majority of the judges controls.
Sec. 4. In accordance with rules adopted by the judges of the
Delaware circuit court under section 5 of this chapter, the
presiding judge shall do the following:
(1) Ensure that the court operates efficiently and judicially.
(2) Annually submit to the fiscal body of Delaware County a
budget for the court, including amounts necessary for the
following:
(A) Operation of the Delaware circuit court's probation
department.
(B) Defense of indigents.
(C) Maintenance of an adequate law library.
(3) Make appointments or selections required of a circuit or
superior court judge.
Sec. 5. (a) The judges of the Delaware circuit court shall adopt
rules to provide for the administration of the court, including rules
governing the following:
(1) Allocation of case load.
(2) Legal representation for indigents.
(3) Budgetary matters of the court.
(4) Operation of the probation department.
(5) Term of administration of the presiding judge.
(6) Employment and management of court personnel.
(7) Cooperative efforts with other courts for establishing and
administering shared programs and facilities.
(b) The court shall file with the division of state court
administration a copy of the rules adopted under this section.
Sec. 6. (a) Each judge of the Delaware circuit court may, subject
to the budget approved for the court by the fiscal body of Delaware
County, employ personnel necessary for the proper administration
of the judge's docket.
(b) Personnel employed under this section:
(1) include court reporters, bailiffs, clerical staff, and any
additional officers necessary for the proper administration of
the court; and
(2) are subject to the rules concerning employment and
management of court personnel adopted by the court under
section 5 of this chapter.
(c) A commissioner is entitled to practice law in any division of
the court in which the commissioner does not have appointive
judicial authority. A commissioner has judicial authority only in
the division of the court presided over by the judge who appointed
the commissioner.
Sec. 7. (a) The Delaware circuit court may appoint a court
administrator subject to the budget approved for the court by the
fiscal body of Delaware County.
(b) A court administrator appointed under this section is subject
to the rules concerning employment and management of court
personnel adopted by the court under section 5 of this chapter.
SECTION 3.
IC 33-5-12.1
IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE JULY 1,
2000].
SECTION 4. [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2000] (a) A judge of the
Delaware superior court under
IC 33-5-12.1
(repealed by this act)
serving on the Delaware superior court on June 30, 2000, is entitled
to serve as a judge of the Delaware circuit court created by
IC 33-4-12
, as added by this act, for a term beginning July 1, 2000.
The judge may serve as judge of the Delaware circuit court under
IC 33-4-12
, as added by this act, until expiration of the Delaware
superior court term that the judge was serving on June 30, 2000.
(b) The superior court for Delaware County is abolished as of
July 1, 2000, and all matters pending in the Delaware superior
court on June 30, 2000, shall be transferred to the Delaware circuit
court in accordance with the venue requirements prescribed under
Rule 75 of the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure. These matters
have the same effect as if originally filed in or issued by the
Delaware circuit court.
(c) This SECTION expires January 1, 2003.