Bill dismantling 17 Indiana judges or magistrates passes State Senate

By KYLA RUSSELL
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

Seventeen courts or magistrates in Indiana could soon be dismantled if a newly amended bill passes through the Statehouse.

House Bill 1144 was authored by State Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers. The bill’s original copy, introduced in January, only added judges and magistrates to four counties in Indiana, including Hamilton, Elkhart, Vigo and Lawrence counties.

Last week, the bill was amended by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The new version gets rid of superior courts in Blackford, Carroll, Gibson, Greene, Jennings, Newton, Pulaski, Rush, and Scott counties. Owen and Monroe counties would lose their circuit courts, and the Marion County Juvenile Court would lose six full time magistrates.

The bill on Tuesday passed in the Senate with a 33-16 vote. A conference committee of members of both the House and the Senate will work to resolve the differences created by the amendments.

Carroll County Superior Court Judge Troy Hawkins told I-Team 8 the changes could slash their judicial capacity in half.

“The main concerns revolve around access to justice for our citizens,” Hawkins said. “It’s going to cause significant delays and their ability to get into court, and to have that access to resolve their situation, whatever it may be criminal or civil.”

Hawkins says these delays undermine the Constitution’s speedy trial guarantees. The changes could also back up counties that experience an already overburdened system, leaving people in limbo.

The change could also have far reaching financial impacts. Hawkins says that even a few weeks of delays could cost counties like his tens of thousands of dollars.

“It will be a huge cost for our sheriff,” Hawkins said. “It’s going to cost for inmates who are there who can’t get to court because there’s only one person handling trials.”

A financial analysis claims the move could help the state save about $750,000 in 2027 and up to $2.75 million by 2032.

“I would say obviously the amendment that was put into (HB) 1144 in the Senate is very much still a negotiation and they’ll be ongoing talks as we work through the numbers, because not everything’s reflected in the numbers or some counties that have unique stories,” Jeter said.

Jeter says counties across the state come to the legislature in the summer and request new courts each budget year. The state uses a “caseload study” to determine how much time judicial time is necessary for cases. It then surveys the number of cases filed to decide how many judges and magistrates are needed for the caseload.

For decades, the legislature has only added courts.

“This year, we are not only looking at where courts need to be added, but also where maybe they need to be eliminated or as I like to say, sort of moved to different areas,” Jeter said.

Hawkins agrees that it is important to look at the courts counties have, and agrees many of them are in need. He also says the cost of the proposed changes would far outweigh what the state could save.

That’s what prompted him to travel to the Statehouse on Thursday to ask for help.

“Rep. VanNatter has been unbelievably supportive, and I thank him for that, and Sen. Alting as well. But, we’re hoping that our concerns are heard, and we can sit at the table and talk about serious change for the judiciary,” Hawkins said.

This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/i-team-8/indiana-courts-disbanding.