A Toolkit for Helping Children
May 6, 2013 by Editor
“The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.”
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The same can be said of our courts, particularly those that deal with children in abuse or neglect cases.
Juvenile courts handling termination of parental rights (TPR) and Children in Need of Services (CHINS) cases are faced daily with the dilemma [...]
Indiana’s Parenting Time Guidelines Revised
May 6, 2013 by Editor
In the first comprehensive revision since their adoption, the Indiana Supreme Court recently amended Indiana’s Parenting Time Guidelines (Guidelines). The Guidelines, which were first effective March 31, 2001, were revised in 2008 concerning parental relocation. The new Guidelines became effective March 1, 2013.
Preparation of Parenting Time Guideline revisions
The Guidelines are a product of the [...]
Indiana Courts Spotlight National Adoption Day
December 20, 2012 by Editor
Forty-two children went to bed with “forever families” in Indiana on the evening of Friday, November 16, 2012, National Adoption Day. Henry County Circuit Court Judge Mary G. Willis, Allen County Superior Court Judge Charles F. Pratt, and Starke County Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall presided over their final adoption hearings. These judges [...]
2012 Legislative Review
July 3, 2012 by Editor
Editor’s Note: This report is a condensed version of the full report prepared by the Indiana Judicial Center.
CIVIL LAW
Partition
S.E.A. 156, P.L. 41-2012
This law establishes a new procedure for partitioning real and personal property that (1) requires a court to refer the matter to mediation and (2) requires the court to order that the property be [...]
Trial Rule 81.1 Procedures for Cases Involving Family or Household Members
May 2, 2012 by Editor
The Indiana Supreme has adopted a new rule of trial procedure that provides trial courts special flexibility in handling multiple cases involving the same family or household. Trial Rule 81.1, which became effective January 1, 2012, is based on the special rules, which have been available to courts participating in the Indiana Family Court [...]
On the Way to Something Better
February 6, 2012 by Editor
On Jan. 11, 2012, Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard delivered his 25th and final State of the Judiciary address to a Joint Session of the Indiana General Assembly. An excerpted version follows. The State of the Judiciary was broadcast to a statewide audience over the Internet and on radio and television through Indiana Public [...]
Helpful Resources for Courts Drowning in Domestic Relations Cases
August 16, 2011 by Editor
Judges with domestic relations jurisdiction are well aware of the time and resources required to manage family law caseloads, particularly the ever-increasing numbers of cases in which the parties appear without lawyers. This article discusses some resources which are available to help courts manage domestic relations caseload and improve outcomes for litigants.
Since 2003, courts [...]
Family Court Project Surveys Elder Law Issues
June 30, 2009 by Editor
According to the United States Census Bureau 2000 census, approximately 12% of this country’s population is age 65 or older. Between 1946 and 1964, 77 million babies were born in the United States. These children are known as the “Baby Boomer” generation, and by the year 2011, the oldest of the baby boomer generation will [...]
Family Court Grant Applications Available
June 30, 2009 by Editor
Applications are now available for 2010 Family Court Project Grants. The Family Court Project began in 1999 as an effort to serve families and children in our courts, especially those families with multiple cases pending before the court.
In addition to multiple-case coordination, programming options include non-adversarial dispute resolution, service referral and coordination, assistance for families [...]
When Families Go To Court: Vanderburgh County Partners with District Pro Bono Commission to Create New Family Court
April 30, 2008 by Editor
Families in Vanderburgh County have a new resource to help them navigate through the court system. Vanderburgh is one of two counties who have been awarded funding from the Indiana Supreme Court to begin new family court projects in 2008. Vanderburgh Superior Court Judge Mary Margaret Lloyd is spearheading the project.
The centerpiece of Vanderburgh County’s [...]
