By Heather R. Falks, Employment Attorney – ADA Coordinator | Office of General Counsel Mask mandates are not a political issue; they are a liability issue. It makes good sense to instill safety protocols because it minimizes court liability, promotes public safety, and helps avoid court closures. As an employer, courts have a responsibility to […]
Cover Stories
Building Resilience to Prepare for Tomorrow
By Paige Newland, Learning Consultant/Program Coordinator | Office of Court Services An emergency like flood, fire, power outage, mold, active human threat—or, as we all now realize, a pandemic—can adversely impact the court system in ways we may not expect. Employee absence, loss of records, technology failure, or facility damage can greatly diminish the effectiveness of […]
Taking up the Torch: Amy Karozos assumes new role as State Public Defender
By David Sexton, Intern | Office of Communications, Education, and Outreach In Webb v. Baird, 6 Ind.13 (1854), over a century prior to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963), the Indiana Supreme Court recognized the right to counsel of all persons facing incarceration who could not afford an […]
Ready for Liftoff
Robert Rath, Chief Innovation Officer | Office of Judicial Administration The Indiana Supreme Court launched a statewide innovation program in November to explore ways to make Indiana’s system of justice more efficient, less expensive, and easier to navigate while continuing to ensure that justice is fairly administered and the rights of all litigants are protected. […]
Smart on Crime: Stakeholders attend Pretrial Summit
By Mary Kay Hudson, Executive Director | Office of Court Services David Sexton, Intern | Office of Communication, Education & Outreach Preparing for Criminal Rule 26 In anticipation of January 1, 2020, when Indiana Criminal Rule 26 goes into effect, more than 700 criminal justice stakeholders from nearly every county gathered at the Indiana Pretrial […]
E-file Indiana: Electronic Filing Across All 92 Counties
By Kathryn Dolan, Chief Public Information Officer | Office of Communication, Education & Outreach E-filing available in all 92 counties! Electronic filing in court cases is now available in all trial courts across the state’s 92 counties and all three appellate courts. A celebration to mark the occasion took place in Sullivan County in September. The […]
100 Problem-Solving Courts
By Kathryn Dolan, Chief Public Information Officer & Sarah Kidwell, Outreach Coordinator | Office of Communication, Education & Outreach Trial court judges and their partners reached a remarkable milestone on April 8, 2019, with the certification of the 100th Indiana problem-solving court. The notable accomplishment showcases the dedication of judges across the state who are committed […]
Court Text Messaging Alerts and Reminders
By: Mary L. DePrez | Director and Counsel for Trial Court Technology, Office of Judicial Administration Text messaging has become an important tool for judges who continue to look for ways to improve customer service and bring the courts into the 21st century. Victim Safety Trial courts began using text reminders in April 2011. At […]
Update on Evidence-Based Pretrial Practices
By Mary Kay Hudson | Deputy Director, Indiana Office of Court Services Part Two In 2016, eleven counties committed to participate in local criminal justice reform initiatives through Indiana’s Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM) Initiative in collaboration with the Indiana EBDM policy team (state team). Since then, all eleven counties, under the leadership of their local […]
Statewide Opioid Summit
By Kathryn Dolan, Indiana Supreme Court Chief Public Information Officer and Haley Loquercio, Intern, Office of Communication, Education, and Outreach Indiana Leaders Work Toward Recovery The Statewide Opioid Summit began with nearly 1,000 audience members hearing a devastating 911 call that brought the training into quick focus. One Summit attendee sadly explained, “It’s easy to […]
Dealing with Out-of-State Offenders
By Jane Seigel | Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Judicial Administration and Jenny Bauer | Staff Attorney, Indiana Office of Court Services Adult and Juvenile Interstate Compacts How many times has an out-of-state offender appeared in your courtroom for sentencing? Do you know what to do if the out-of-state offender is to be sentenced for […]
State of the Judiciary 2018
A Hope-Filled Future On January 10, 2018, Chief Justice of Indiana Loretta Rush delivered her fourth address on the State of the Judiciary to a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly. Highlights of the speech follow. We also invite you to read the entire text, watch the video, and view photographs at: courts.in.gov/supreme/2570.htm The […]
We’re Moving and the Move is Big
Throughout November and December, most agencies of the Office of Judicial Administration moved from the 30 South Meridian offices and began working at Capital Center on North Illinois Street. By December 11th all the offices from 30 South were relocated to Capital Center North. The move was the culmination of two years of work in […]
Welcome Justice Goff
Christopher Goff was welcomed to the Supreme Court as the newest justice on September 1 by more than 300 family members, judges, friends, and government officials during his formal investiture ceremony. “This whole experience has been incredibly humbling,” Justice Goff said, “but the most humbling part of it has been the outpouring of support and […]
A Lifetime of Service
Justice Robert D. Rucker retires after 17 years on the Indiana Supreme Court Robert D. Rucker was born in Canton, Georgia and grew up in Gary, Indiana. The man he most admired was his father, Robert Dennis Rucker, Sr., who worked hard and taught him the value of an education. He wanted his son to […]
