Ind. Sup. Ct. Order Approving Local Rules: order-local-rules-2025-25S-MS-252

In the

Indiana Supreme Court

In the Matter of the Approval of Local

Rules for White County

Supreme Court Case No.

25S-MS-252

Order Approving Amended Local Rules

The Judges of the White Circuit and Superior Courts request the approval of amended

local rules for caseload allocation in accordance with Administrative Rule 1(E), for court

reporter services in accordance with Administrative Rule 15, for special judge assignments in

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

Administrative Rule 21. Attached to this Order are the proposed amended local rules.

Upon examination of the proposed rule amendments requested by the White Circuit and

Superior Courts, this Court finds that the proposed amendments to LR91-AR01-02 comply with

the requirements of Administrative Rule 1(E), the amendments to LR91-AR15-08 comply with

Administrative Rule 15, the amendments to LR91-TR79-10 comply with Trial Rule 79, and the

amendments to LR91-AR00-10 comply with Administrative Rule 21, and, accordingly, should

be approved.

IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED by this Court that amended Local Rules, LR91-AR01-

02, LR91-AR15-08, LR91-TR79-10, and LR91-AR00-10, for the White Circuit and Superior

Courts, set forth as attachments to this Order, are approved effective January 1, 2026.

D

one at Indianapolis, Indiana, on ___________ .

Loretta H. Rush

Chief Justice of Indiana

9/23/2025

LR91-AR01-02 Case Allocation Plan

(A) Criminal Cases:

(1) All murder, felony, misdemeanor, infraction, ordinance violation,

miscellaneous criminal, expungement, and post-conviction relief cases

shall be filed in the Superior Court.

(B) Juvenile Cases:

(1) All juvenile cases shall be filed in the Circuit Court.

(C) Civil Cases:

(1) All adoption, domestic relations (DR, DC, DN), grandparent visitation

(GV), commercial court eligible (CE), estate (ES, EU, EM), guardianship,

mental health, protective order, reciprocal support, and trust cases shall

be filed in the Circuit Court.

(2) All small claim (SC), eviction (EV), and red flag (RF) cases shall be filed

in the Superior Court.

(3) Civil plenary, mortgage foreclosure, civil collection, civil tort, and civil

miscellaneous cases may be filed in either the Circuit Court or the

Superior Court.

(4) Review of administrative decisions (RA) shall be filed in the Circuit

Court.

LR91-AR15-08 Court Reporters

Section One: Definitions.

For purposes of this local rule, the definitions contained in Administrative Rule 15 shall

apply.

Section Two: Court Reporter; Salaries and Per Page Fees.

(A) Court Reporters shall be paid an annual salary for time spent working under the

control, direction, and direct supervision of their supervising Court during any regular fixed

work hours, gap hours, or overtime hours. Court Reporters shall be compensated for gap and

overtime hours as set forth in the White County Human Resources Policies and Procedures as

adopted and/or amended by the Court.

(B) Court Reporters may charge a per-page fee for preparation of transcripts if the

transcripts are prepared on the Court Reporter’s own time outside of any regular work hours,

gap hours, or overtime hours and are prepared using the Court Reporter’s own paper and the

Court Reporter’s own supplies. This would include the ability to assign the transcript to a third

party to transcribe or assist in typing the transcript. The total combined per-page fee to be paid

to the Court Reporter and/or third-party transcriber shall not exceed the maximum per-page fee

set forth in this rule.

(C) The maximum per-page fee a Court Reporter may charge for the preparation of a

county indigent transcript shall be Six Dollars and Fifty Cents ($6.50); the Court Reporter shall

submit a claim directly to the County for the preparation of any county indigent transcripts.

(D) The maximum per-page fee a Court Reporter may charge for the preparation of a

state indigent transcript shall be Six Dollars and Fifty Cents ($6.50).

(E) The maximum per-page fee a Court Reporter may charge for the preparation of a

private transcript shall be Six Dollars and Fifty Cents ($6.50) plus the actual cost of paper used

at a per-page cost.

(F) The per-page fee for expedited transcripts shall be Eight Dollars and Fifty Cents

($8.50) with twenty-four (24) hours’ notice and Seven Dollars and Fifty Cents ($7.50) with three

(3) days’ notice.

(G) Binding and Exhibit and Index Volume Fees.

An additional fee shall be added to the cost of the transcript for the time spent binding

the transcript and preparing the exhibit and index volumes at an hourly rate based on one and

one-half (1 ½) times the Court Reporter’s hourly rate. This fee will only apply if the Court

Reporter binds the transcript and prepares the exhibit and index volumes on the Court

Reporter’s own time outside of any regular work hours, gap hours, or overtime hours using the

Court Reporter’s own paper and the Court Reporter’s own supplies.

(H) If a third party types the transcript for a per-page rate equal to the maximum

approved in this Rule, the Court Reporter shall not be entitled to any additional per-page fee

but, with the approval of the Judge, shall complete the review and proofing of the transcript

either:

(1) During normal work hours using court equipment, papers, and supplies

without charging any additional fee whatsoever; or

(2) On the Court Reporter’s own time outside of any regular work hours, gap

hours, or overtime hours using the Court Reporter’s own paper and the

Court Reporter’s own supplies at an hourly rate based on one and one-half

qualify as Special Judge, then selection of the Special Judge shall proceed pursuant to sub-part

D of this local rule.

(D) In the event no Special Judge qualifies under sub-part C of this rule, the Clerk

shall select a Special Judge from the following list of Judges who have agreed to serve as a

Special Judge in the White Superior Court:

• The Judge of the Benton Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Carroll Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Carroll Superior Court

• The Judge of the Cass Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Cass Superior Court 1

• The Judge of the Cass Superior Court 2

• The Judge of the Jasper Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Jasper Superior Court

• The Judge of the Pulaski Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Pulaski Superior Court

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 1

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 2

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 3

• Tippecanoe County Juvenile Magistrate

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 4

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 5

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 6

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 7

• Tippecanoe County Magistrate

(E) In the event that no Special Judge qualifies or is available for appointment or the

particular circumstances in a case warrant the selection of a Special Judge by the Indiana

Supreme Court, the Court shall request the Indiana Supreme Court by written certification to

appoint a Special Judge.

LR91-TR79-10 Appointment of Special Judge in Civil Cases

(A) In the event of a recusal or disqualification of the Judge of the White Circuit

Court or the White Superior Court under Indiana Trial Rule 79(C), if a Special Judge does not

accept jurisdiction of the case pursuant to Indiana Trial Rule 79(D), then the assignment and

selection of a Special Judge shall proceed according to the provisions of sub-part C of this local

rule.

(B) In the event that a Motion for Change of Judge is granted pursuant to Indiana

Trial Rule 76(B) and a Special Judge is not qualified pursuant to Indiana Trial Rule 79(D) of the

Indiana Rules of Procedure, the assignment and selection of a Special Judge shall proceed

according to the provisions of sub-part C of this local rule.

(C) Assignment of Special Judge

(1) The Judge of the White Circuit Court shall be appointed as Special

Judge for all cases originating in White Superior Court. If the Judge of the

White Circuit Court fails to qualify as Special Judge, then selection of the

Special Judge shall proceed pursuant to sub-part D of this local rule.

(2) The Judge of the White Superior Court shall be appointed as Special

Judge for all cases originating in the White Circuit Court. If the judge of

the White Superior Court fails to qualify as Special Judge, then the

selection of the Special Judge shall proceed pursuant to sub-part D of this

local rule.

(D) In the event no Special Judge qualifies under sub-part C of this rule, the Clerk

shall select a Special Judge from the following list of Judges who have agreed to serve as a

Special Judge in the White Circuit and White Superior Courts:

• The Judge of the Benton Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Carroll Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Carroll Superior Court

• The Judge of the Cass Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Cass Superior Court 1

• The Judge of the Cass Superior Court 2

• The Judge of the Jasper Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Jasper Superior Court

• The Judge of the Pulaski Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Pulaski Superior Court

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Circuit Court

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 1

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 2

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 3

• The Tippecanoe County Juvenile Magistrate

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 4

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 5

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 6

• The Judge of the Tippecanoe Superior Court No. 7

• The Tippecanoe County Magistrate

(E) In the event that no Special Judge qualifies or is available for appointment or the

particular circumstances in a case warrant the selection of a Special Judge by the Indiana

Supreme Court, the Court shall request the Indiana Supreme Court pursuant to Indiana Trial

Rule 79(H)(3) by written certification to appoint a Special Judge.