Ind. Sup. Ct. Order Approving Local Rules: order-local-rules-2025-25S-MS-282

In the

Indiana Supreme Court

In the Matter of the Approval of Local

Rules for Putnam County

Supreme Court Case No.

25S-MS-282

Order Approving Amended Local Rules

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

local rules for caseload allocation in accordance with Administrative Rule 1(E) and for special

judge assignments in accordance with Trial Rule 79 and Administrative Rule 21. Attached to

this Order are the proposed amended local rules.

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

Superior Courts, this Court finds that the proposed amendments to LR67-2 comply with the

requirements of Administrative Rule 1(E), the amendments to LR67-10 comply with Trial Rule

79, and the amendments to LR67-11 comply with Administrative Rule 21, and, accordingly,

should be approved.

IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED by this Court that amended Local Rules, LR67-2,

LR67-10, and LR67-11, for the Putnam Circuit and Superior Courts, set forth as attachments to

this Order, are approved effective January 1, 2026.

Done at Indianapolis, Indiana, on ___________ .

Loretta H. Rush

Chief Justice of Indiana

10/27/2025

LR67-2 (Adm. Rule) Commencement of Action/Assignment of Cases

A. Circuit Court

1. Civil

a. all causes filed as a CC or a CT, except for

i. cases in which involve Putnam County Hospital or its employed

doctors is/are a party;

b. 50% of all PL cases

c. 50% of Dissolution of Marriage actions

d. Mental Health Commitments

e. Probate

f. Trust

g. Guardianship

h. Juvenile – JM’s, JD’s, JS’s, 50% of JP’s

i. All JC, JT, and JM of Department of Child Services

j. Protective Orders if a Dissolution or Juvenile matter involving the same

parties is pending

k. Adoption

l. 100% Reciprocal Support

m. 100% Tax Petitions and Tax Sale

n. 50% of MI cases

o. 50% of RF cases- every other case

p. 50% of CE cases

q. 50% of GV cases

r. 50% of RA cases

2. Criminal

a. Murder- every other one (if co-defendant, then filed together)

b. Felonies- 50% of Level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (by random draw through Odyssey

system)

c. 50% Criminal Miscellaneous (MC) (search warrant applications,

probation transfers, etc.)

d. Misdemeanors if conflict or Defendant already has a pending filing in

Circuit or it is an allegation of compulsory school attendance.

e. 50% of RF cases

B. Superior Court

1. Civil

a. CT’s naming Putnam County Hospital /its doctors as a party

b. 50% of Dissolution of Marriage actions

c. 50% of JP’s

d. Small claims

e. Rent/eviction

f. Protective Orders, except where a dissolution or Juvenile matter is

pending in the Putnam Circuit Court

g. 50% MI cases

h. Mortgage Foreclosures (MF)

i. 50% of RF cases- every other case

j. 50% of CE cases

k. 50% of GV cases

l. 50% of RA cases

2. Criminal

a. Murder every other one (if co-defendant, then filed together)

b. Felonies- 50% of Level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (by random draw through Odyssey

system)

c. All A, B, C misdemeanors; Except conflict or Defendant already has a

pending filing in Circuit or it is an allegation of compulsory school

attendance

d. 50% of Criminal Miscellaneous MC (search warrant applications,

probation transfers, etc.)

e. 50% of RF cases- every other case

C. Prior to filing a new criminal charge, the prosecutor’s office is required to determine if

the Defendant is on probation or already has a pending criminal case or on probation in

one of the courts. If so, the prosecutor’s office shall file the new case in the same court as

the prior pending case/probation. Prior civil cases are not included/counted for

assignment.

D. * Magistrate Judge shall hear JC’s, DC’s, AD’s, SC’s, PO’s, IF’s, JM’s w/ DCS, OV’s,

JP’s and MI’s.

LR67-10 (Indiana T.R. 79) Selection of a Special Judge Pursuant to Trial Rule 79(H)

A. The Presiding Judge in Administrative District 19 shall administer reassignment of cases

pursuant to T.R. 79(H) from a list of the Judges and Magistrates in District 19, if a

subsequent judge is not selected between the parties pursuant to T.R. 79. The Presiding

Judge shall be selected from the sitting Judges and Magistrates in District 19. The

presiding judge shall notify the parties promptly of the change. The initial Presiding

Judge’s term shall commence April 1, 2013, and terminate December 31, 2013. All

subsequent terms shall be for a calendar year. Should the Presiding Judge leave the

bench during the term, a successor Judge shall be selected to fulfill the balance of that

term as well as the entirety of the next term. A Judge may not refuse to serve as

Presiding Judge, unless there is a conflict.

B. During his or her term of service, the Presiding Judge shall maintain a record of the

cause number of each case certified for reassignment and appointment of a special judge,

the Judge who certified the case, and the Judge to whom the case was reassigned. The

Presiding Judge shall submit an electronic quarterly report to all District 19 Judges and

Magistrates no more than ten (10) days following the end of each quarter of each

calendar year. The Presiding Judge may assign administrative duties to local court

support staff to assist in fulfilling these responsibilities. The Presiding Judge, at his/her

discretion, may elect to not be in the case assignment rotation during his/her term as

Presiding Judge. The Presiding Judge shall transfer the records maintained during his or

her term of service to the succeeding Presiding Judge.

C. Pursuant to Trial Rule 79(H), the District Judges and Magistrates shall certify to the

Presiding Judge cases for reassignment and special judge appointment. The certification

shall include a prepared order of appointment, as exhibited in Appendix A. When the

Presiding Judge receives a certification requiring reassignment, the Presiding Judge shall

appoint a Judge or Magistrate in the following manner:

1. At the beginning of each calendar year, the Presiding Judge shall create a list of

all judicial officers in District 19. The District will follow the principle that each

Judge or Magistrate will receive a new case for each case from which he or she

has been removed – a one-off, one-on formula. Upon receiving a certification, the

Presiding Judge shall assign the case to the first eligible Judge or Magistrate on

the list.

2. The order of appointment shall be filed in the court where the case originated.

The order of appointment shall constitute acceptance, and neither oath nor

additional evidence of acceptance is required.

D. A Senior Judge may elect to participate in District 19 special judge selection by

submitting a written petition to the Presiding Judge no later than January 15 of any

calendar year indicating that the Senior Judge wishes to participate during the year.

E. When a Judge or Magistrate vacates the bench and is certified as a Senior Judge, that

Judge may retain jurisdiction of all previously existing Special Judge cases as provided

by Administrative Rule 5. In the event the Judge or Magistrate vacates the bench and is

not certified as a Senior Judge or is unavailable as indicated under Trial Rule 79 (L),

then the successor Judge may assume jurisdiction over all previous Special Judge cases

of the vacating Judge or Magistrate. The county’s judicial personnel shall first attempt to

absorb conflicts of interest of the Successor Judge within the county without undue

hardship.

F. If no Judge or Magistrate is eligible to serve as a Special Judge, or if the Presiding Judge

determines the selection of a Special Judge by the Indiana Supreme Court is warranted

under the particular circumstances of a case, the Presiding Judge shall certify the case to

the Indiana Supreme Court for appointment of a Special Judge.

LR67-11 (Crim. Pro.) Selection of a Special Judge in Criminal Cases

A. The Presiding Judge in Administrative District 19 shall administer the reassignment of

cases pursuant to Administrative Rule 1(E)(6) and Administrative Rule 21 from a list of

Judges and Magistrates in District 19, contiguous counties, and senior judges. The

Presiding Judge shall be selected from the full-time Judges and Magistrates within

District 19.

B. Pursuant to Administrative Rule 21, the District 19 and contiguous counties Judges and

Magistrates shall certify to the Presiding Judge cases for reassignment and special judge

appointment. When the Presiding Judge receives a certification requiring reassignment,

the Presiding Judge shall appoint a Judge or Magistrate in the following manner:

C. At the beginning of each calendar year, the Presiding Judge shall create a list of all

judicial officers in District 19 and contiguous counties. The principle that each Judge or

Magistrate will receive a new case for each case from which he or she has been removed

– a one-off, one-on formula shall be followed. Upon receiving a certification, the

Presiding Judge shall assign the case to the first eligible Judge or Magistrate on the list.

D. The order of appointment shall be filed in the court where the case originated. The order

of appointment shall constitute acceptance, and neither oath nor additional evidence of

acceptance is required.

E. A Senior Judge may elect to participate in special judge selection pursuant to this rule by

submitting a written petition to the Presiding Judge no later than January 15 of any

calendar year indicating that the Senior Judge wishes to participate during the year.

F. When a Judge or Magistrate vacates the bench and is certified as a Senior Judge, that

Judge may retain jurisdiction of all previously existing Special Judge cases as provided

by Administrative Rule 5. In the event, the Judge or Magistrate vacates the bench and is

not certified as a Senior Judge or is unavailable, then the successor Judge may assume

jurisdiction over all previous Special Judge cases of the vacating Judge or Magistrate.

The county’s judicial personnel shall first attempt to absorb conflicts of interest of the

Successor Judge within the county without undue hardship.

G. If no Judge or Magistrate is eligible to serve as a Special Judge in a criminal case, or if

the Presiding Judge determines the selection of a Special Judge by the Indiana Supreme

Court is warranted under the particular circumstances of a case, the Presiding Judge

shall certify the case to the Indiana Supreme Court for appointment of a Special Judge.