Ind. Sup. Ct. Order Approving Local Rules: order-local-rules-2025-25S-MS-106

In the

Indiana Supreme Court

In the Matter of the Approval of Local

Rules for Vermillion County

Supreme Court Case No.

25S-MS-106

Order Approving Amended Local Rules

The Judge of the Vermillion Circuit Court requests the approval of amended local rules for

special judge assignments in accordance with Trial Procedure Rule 79, for special judge

assignments in accordance with Administrative Rule 21, and for court reporter services in

accordance with Administrative Rule 15. Attached to this Order are the proposed amended

local rules.

Upon examination of the proposed rule amendments requested by the Vermillion Circuit

Court, this Court finds that the proposed amendments to LR 83-TR 79(H)-2 comply with Trial

Rule 79, the amendments to LR 83-AR 21-3 comply with Administrative Rule 21, and the

amendments to LR 83-AR 15-7 comply with Administrative Rule 15, and, accordingly, should

be approved.

IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED by this Court that amended Local Rules, LR 83-TR

79(H)-2, LR 83-AR 21-3, and LR 83-AR 15-7, for the Vermillion Circuit Court, set forth as

attachments to this Order, are approved effective on the date of this Order.

Done at Indianapolis, Indiana, on ___________ .

Loretta H. Rush

Chief Justice of Indiana

4/28/2025

LR 83-TR 79(H)-2 Appointment of Special Judges, Pursuant to TR 79(H)

A. In the event it becomes necessary to appoint a special judge in a civil proceeding under

Trial Rule 79(H) in the Vermillion Circuit Court, the case shall be reassigned as set

forth below.

B. Pursuant to Trial Rule 79(H), after consulting with the other Judges within the 11th

Administrative District established in Administrative Rule 3(A); having considered the

effective use of all judicial resources within such Administrative District; and having

considered the accessibility of those Judges who are eligible for appointment as a

Special Judge pursuant to Trial Rule 79(J); the following Judges shall comprise the list

for such appointments, and shall be selected on a rotating basis:

Judge of the Fountain Circuit Court,

Judge of the Montgomery Circuit Court,

Judge of the Montgomery Superior Court 1,

Judge of the Montgomery Superior Court 2,

Judge of the Parke Circuit Court,

Judge of the Warren Circuit Court, and

a Senior Judge approved to serve by the Vermillion Circuit Court.

C. In the event that no Judge is eligible to serve as a Special Judge or the particular

circumstances of the case warrant selection of a Special Judge by the Indiana Supreme

Court, such case shall be certified to the Indiana Supreme Court for the appointment of

a Special Judge.

D. After a Special Judge is selected, the caption of all pleadings filed thereafter shall

designate “Special Judge ” immediately below the cause number.

E. A copy of each pleading or each paper filed with the Court after a Special Judge has

been appointed shall be filed with the Special Judge by the counsel or litigant with

service indicated on the certificate of service.

LR 83-AR-21-3 Appointment of Special Judges, Pursuant to AR 21

In the event it becomes necessary to appoint a special judge in a criminal proceeding under AR

21 in the Vermillion Circuit Court on a Felony or Misdemeanor case, the case shall be assigned

as follows:

Judge of the Fountain Circuit Court,

Judge of the Parke Circuit Court,

Judge of the Warren Circuit Court,

Judge of the Vigo Superior Court 1,

Judge of the Vigo Superior Court 2,

Judge of the Vigo Circuit Court/Superior Court 3,

Judge of the Vigo Superior Court 4,

Judge of the Vigo Superior Court 5,

Judge of the Vigo Superior Court 6,

Magistrate of the Vigo Circuit Court,

Judge of the Montgomery Circuit Court,

Judge of the Montgomery Superior Court 1, and

Judge of the Montgomery Superior Court 2.

or any Senior Judge approved to serve by the Vermillion Circuit Court. In the event no Judge is

available for assignment or reassignment of a Felony or Misdemeanor case, such case shall be

sent to the Indiana Supreme Court for the appointment of a Special Judge. In the event the

Judge presiding in a Felony or Misdemeanor case concludes that the unique circumstances

presented in such proceeding require the appointment by the Indiana Supreme Court of a

Special Judge, the Presiding Judge may request the Indiana Supreme Court for such

appointment.

LR 83-AR 15-7 Court Reporters

1. Definitions: All definitions set forth in Administrative Rule 15 of the Indiana Supreme

Court are adopted for the purposes of this Rule.

2. Salary: The Court Reporter shall be paid an annual salary for time spent working under

the control, direction, and direct supervision of the Court during any regular work

hours, gap hours, or overtime hours.

3. County Indigent Work (Transcripts for litigant declared indigent): A maximum per

page fee for County indigent transcripts shall be set at $4.50 per page, plus an

additional labor charge at the hourly rate of $20.00 per hour for time spent binding the

transcript and the exhibit binders may be charged. The Court Reporter shall submit a

claim directly to the County for the preparation of the County indigent transcript. A

minimum fee of per transcript may be charged.

4. State Indigent Work (Transcripts for litigant declared indigent): A maximum per page

fee for State indigent transcripts shall be set at $4.50 per page, plus an additional labor

charge at the hourly rate of $20.00 per hour for time spent binding the transcript and

the exhibit binders may be charged. The Court Reporter shall submit a claim directly to

the State for the preparation of the State indigent transcript. A minimum fee of per

transcript may be charged.

5. Private Transcripts (Transcripts paid for by a Private Party): A maximum per page fee

for private transcript work shall be set at $4.50 per page, plus an additional labor

charge at the hourly rate of $20.00 per hour for time spent binding the transcript and

the exhibit binders may be charged. A maximum per page fee for copies of transcript

shall be set at $2.00 per page. If the Court Reporter is requested to prepare an expedited

transcript, the maximum per page fee shall be: $7.50 per page, where the transcript

must be prepared within 24 hours or less; and $6.00 per page, where the transcript must

be prepared within three (3) working days.

6. Payment Arrangements of Private Party Ordering Transcript: The party requesting the

transcript must pay 100% of the projected cost.

7. Annual Report: The Court Reporter shall report on an annual basis to the Office of

Judicial Administration on forms prescribed by the Office of Judicial Administration,

all transcript fees (either county, indigent, state indigent, or private) received by the

Court Reporter.

8. Depositions: The Court Reporter shall not engage in private practice through recording

of a deposition and/or preparing of a deposition transcript by the use of the Court’s

equipment, work space, or supplies. If the Court Reporter elects to engage in private

practice through recording of a deposition and/or preparing of a deposition transcript,

the Court Reporter shall do so using the Reporter’s own equipment, supplies, and work

space, and any and all of such private practice shall be conducted outside the regular

working hours of the Court on the Reporter’s own time.

9. Transcripts: All transcript preparation, required by law to be prepared by the Court

Reporter, shall be prepared during regular business hours, when possible, but not until

all other duties necessary for operation of the Court are completed. In the event the

Court Reporter prepares county indigent, or state indigent transcripts or private

transcripts, and the same involves gap and/or overtime hours, the Court and the

Reporter shall enter into a written agreement, outlining the manner in which the

Reporter is to be compensated for such gap and overtime hours. Either compensation

shall be paid for gap hours at the hourly rate, and overtime hours paid one and one half

(1 1/2) times the hourly rate, or one (1) hour of compensatory time off for each gap

hour worked, and one and one half (1 1/2) hour compensatory time off each hour of

overtime worked.