COVID-19: News to stay informed from Indiana Courts

Government and Business organizations have been acting fast and furious in response to COVID-19. This running blog entry identifies operational changes and helpful links. We will update this blog as more changes are made:

Indiana’s Shelter in Place Order.

Governor Holcomb has issued a shelter in place order that expires at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 6. The order applies to all businesses expect essential businesses and services.  Essential businesses include but are not limited to grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, police stations, fire stations, hospitals, doctor’s offices, health care facilities, garbage pickup, public transit, and public service hotlines. A full list of essential businesses can be found at Essential Businesses

The Executive Order can be found at Stay-at-Home Order  and a FAQ sheet can be found at FAQ Sheet

Employer Paid Sick Leave Act and Emergency FMLA

Please see our blog post here

Updated Information from the IndyBar can be found here

The Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce has established a Rapid Response Hub for small businesses. The Chamber’s Hub can be found here

Federal Courts Located in Indiana

Northern District of Indiana

The Northern District of Indiana has issued two orders, both linked below. A summary of the changes follows:

March 17, 2020 Order

March 23, 2020 Order

• All jury trials scheduled up through May 1, 2020 are continued and will be rescheduled
• Civil proceedings will be converted to telephonic or videoconference proceedings
• Criminal cases: Plea and sentencing hearings scheduled up through May 1, 2020 are continued and will be reschedule. Initial appearances, arraignments, and other essential proceedings will continue to be held before the duty Magistrate Judges, unless the parties agree to continue them; to the full extent possible, matters that are maintained on the calendar shall be conducted by telephone or video conference.
• Grand Jury proceedings continued until April 13, 2020
• Naturalization ceremonies are canceled – expedited administration may occur in fact specific circumstances
• All non-core public events are cancelled
• Individuals requiring entry to courthouse will be questioned regarding potential exposure to COVID-19

Southern District of Indiana

The Southern District of Indiana issued an order on March 20, 2020, a summary of the changes follows:

• Through and including at least May 1, 2020, all jury trials are continued.
• All other criminal court proceedings will proceed as scheduled (by telephonic or videoconference proceedings at the discretion of the assigned District or Magistrate Judge)
• Naturalization ceremonies are canceled – expedited administration may occur in fact specific circumstances
• All courthouses are closed to the public
• Individuals requiring entry to courthouse will be questioned regarding potential exposure to COVID-19

State Courts in Indiana

Appellate Deadlines

Filing Deadlines in the Indiana Supreme Court and Court of Appeals have been modified as follows:

• Filings currently due on or between March 23, 2020 and April 6, 2020 will be due on April 21, 2020.
• Filings currently due on or between April 7, 2020 and April 21, 2020 will be due fifteen (15) days after their current due date.
• Filings due after April 21, 2020 remain due on their current due date.
• The pertinent order can be found here.

Indiana County Courts

The following County courts have filed petitions for emergency procedures with the Indiana Supreme Court, and the petitions have been granted:  (Update: The Emergency Relief has been extended through May 4, 2020, per Indiana Supreme Court Order dated April 3, 2020):

Petitioning Court(s)	Order
Adams Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Adams County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Allen Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Allen Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Bartholomew Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Bartholomew County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Benton Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Benton Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Blackford Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Blackford County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Boone Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Boone County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Boone / Zionsville Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Zionsville Town Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Brown Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Brown Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Carroll Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Carroll County Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Cass Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Cass County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Clark Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Clark Circuit Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Clay Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Clay Circuit and Clay Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Clinton Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Clinton Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Crawford Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Crawford Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Daviess Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Daviess County Circuit and Superior Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Dearborn Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Dearborn Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Dearborn / Lawrenceburg City Court	In the Matter of the Petition of the Lawrenceburg City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Decatur Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Decatur County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
DeKalb Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the DeKalb County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Delaware Circuit & Superior and Muncie City Court	In the Matter of the Petition of the Delaware Circuit Courts and Muncie City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Dubois Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Dubois County Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Elkhart Circuit & Superior and City/Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Elkhart County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Fayette Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Fayette County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Floyd Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Floyd Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Fountain, Parke, Vermillion, and Warren Circuits	In the Matter of the Petition of the Fountain Circuit Court, Parke Circuit Court, Vermillion Circuit Court, and Warren Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Franklin Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Franklin Circuit Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Fulton Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Fulton County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Gibson Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Gibson County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Grant Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Grant County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Grant / Gas City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Gas City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Greene Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Greene County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Hamilton Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Hamilton County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Hamilton / Carmel City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Carmel City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Hamilton / Fishers City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Fishers City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Hancock Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Hancock County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Harrison Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Harrison County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Hendricks Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Hendricks County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Hendricks / Avon Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Avon Town Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Hendricks / Brownsburg Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Brownsburg Town Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Henry Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Henry Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Henry / New Castle City	In the Matter of the Petition of the New Castle City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Howard Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Howard County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Huntington Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Huntington County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Jackson Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Jackson County Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Jasper Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Jasper Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Jay Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Jay County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Jefferson Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Jefferson County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Jennings Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Jennings County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Johnson Circuit & Superior and City/Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Johnson County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Knox Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Knox Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Kosciusko Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Kosciusko Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
LaGrange Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of LaGrange County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Lake Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Lake County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Lake / Crown Point City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Crown Point City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Lake / East Chicago City	In the Matter of the Petition of the East Chicago City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Lake / Hobart City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Hobart City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Lake / Merrillville Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Merrillville Town Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Lake / Schererville Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Schererville Town Court Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
LaPorte Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the LaPorte Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Lawrence Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Lawrence County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Madison Circuit and City/Town	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Madison County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Marion Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Marion County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Marion Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Marion County for Additional Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Marion Small Claims	In the Matter of the Petition of the Marion County Small Claims Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Marion Small Claims	In the Matter of the Petition of the Marion County Small Claims Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Marshall Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Marshall County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Martin Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Martin Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Miami Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Miami County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Monroe Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Monroe County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Montgomery Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Montgomery Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Morgan Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Morgan County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Morgan / Martinsville City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Martinsville City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Newton Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Newton County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Noble Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Noble County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Ohio Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Ohio Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Orange Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Orange Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Owen Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Owen County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Perry Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Perry County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Pike Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Pike Circuit Court Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Porter Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Porter County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Posey Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Posey County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Pulaski Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Pulaski County Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Putnam Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Putnam County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Randolph Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Randolph Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Randolph / Winchester City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Winchester City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Ripley Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Ripley County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Rush Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Rush County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Scott Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Scott County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Shelby Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Shelby County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Spencer Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Spencer Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Starke Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Starke Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Starke / Knox City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Knox City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Steuben Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Steuben County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
St. Joseph Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the St. Joseph County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Sullivan Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Sullivan County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Switzerland Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Switzerland Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Tippecanoe Circuit & Superior and West Lafayette City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Tippecanoe County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Tipton Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Tipton Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Union Circuit	In the Matter of the Petition of the Union Circuit Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Vanderburgh Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Vanderburgh 17 Emergency Relief
Vigo Circuit & Superior and Terre Haute City Court	In the Matter of the Petition of the Vigo County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Wabash Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Wabash County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Warrick Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Warrick County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Washington Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Washington County Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Wayne Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Wayne County Circuit and Superior Courts for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Wells Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Wells County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Wells / Bluffton City	In the Matter of the Petition of the Bluffton City Court for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
White Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of White County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief
Whitley Circuit & Superior	In the Matter of the Petition of the Courts of Whitley County for Administrative Rule 17 Emergency Relief