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Friday, September 18, 2009

Ind. Courts - More on: "Announcement Of Strategic Plan For Indiana Judicial Branch"

Updating this ILB entry from yesterday, today the AP reports:

Trial courts and county clerk's offices in Indiana would be reorganized under a plan to streamline the state's judicial system.

The plan from a panel of judges would have city, town and township small claims courts be absorbed into the county-level trial courts. Other proposals would have courts be funded by the state instead of counties and judges would be retained in six-year terms by a simple yes-no vote instead of current methods that vary by county.

Certain functions like court record-keeping would be reassigned from the county clerk to the courts, leaving the clerk's office to focus on supervising elections, issuing marriage licenses and collecting money.

Key areas of the plan would require legislative approval.

The proposal was adopted this week by directors at the Indiana Judicial Conference.

Okay, what is the Indiana Judicial Conference? IC 33-38-9-3(b) provides:

The membership of the judicial conference consists of the following:
(1) All justices of the supreme court.
(2) All judges of the court of appeals.
(3) The judge of the tax court.
(4) All circuit, superior, probate, and county court judges.
(5) All municipal court judges who are serving on a full-time basis.
(6) Any retired judge who serves as a special judge and notifies the conference of the service.
And what is the Indiana Judicial Center Board of Directors and what is the Indiana Judicial Center? IC 33-38-9-4 provides:
(a) The activities of the judicial conference shall be directed by a board of directors having the following members:
(1) The chief justice of Indiana.
(2) The chief judge of the court of appeals.
(3) The president of the Indiana judges association.
(4) The president of the Indiana council of juvenile court judges.
(5) One (1) judge from each of the trial court districts established by the supreme court, elected for a term of two (2) years by the trial court judges of the district.
(6) Five (5) trial court judges appointed for terms of one (1) year by the chief justice of Indiana.
(b) The chief justice of Indiana shall serve as chairperson of the board of directors. The judicial conference, through the board of directors:
(1) shall establish a staff agency to be designated the Indiana judicial center; and
(2) may establish positions for an executive director, staff personnel, and other necessary personnel.
All personnel of the Indiana judicial center shall be appointed by the chief justice of Indiana, and their salaries shall be fixed by the supreme court, subject to appropriation by the general assembly.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 18, 2009 11:04 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts