Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Indiana General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. This is the current version. The official bill page.
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
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between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
HOUSE ENROLLED ACT No. 1144
AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning courts and court
officers.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
SECTION 1. IC 31-31-3-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.113-2014,
SECTION 119, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 2. (a) Except as provided in
subsection (b), or (c), or (d) after June 30, 2014, the judge of the
juvenile court may appoint not more than one (1) full-time magistrate
under IC 33-23-5.
(b) The judge of the juvenile court may appoint more than one (1)
full-time magistrate only if the appointment of an additional magistrate
is expressly authorized by the general assembly.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), if the judge of the
juvenile court appointed one (1) or more full-time magistrates under
this section before July 1, 2014, the judge may continue to appoint or
reappoint a full-time magistrate to each of those positions after June 30,
2014.
(d) The judges of the Marion County juvenile courts may
appoint not more than eleven (11) full-time magistrates under
IC 33-23-5.
SECTION 2. IC 33-33-0.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2025]:
Chapter 0.5. Transitional Procedures
Sec. 1. This chapter applies when a circuit or superior court is
HEA 1144 — CC 1
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abolished under this article.
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "abolished court" means a court
abolished under this article.
Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "abolition date" means the date
a court is abolished under this article.
Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "court" means a circuit or
superior court.
Sec. 5. As used in this chapter, "remaining court" means the one
(1) or more courts that continue to exist in a judicial circuit after
the abolition of a court in that judicial circuit under this article.
Sec. 6. On the abolition date, the following apply:
(1) The employment of a person employed solely by the
abolished court is terminated by operation of law. This
subdivision does not prevent the person from being
transferred to or employed by another court.
(2) A person who is jointly employed by two (2) or more
courts remains an employee of the remaining courts.
Sec. 7. (a) This section applies if, on the abolition date, there is
only one (1) remaining court.
(b) On the abolition date, all agreements and liabilities of the
abolished court are transferred to the remaining court.
(c) On the abolition date, all records and property of the
abolished court, including appropriations and other funds under
the control or supervision of the court, are transferred to the
remaining court.
(d) On the abolition date, any amounts owed to the abolished
court before the abolition date are considered to be owed to the
remaining court.
(e) On and after the abolition date, any reference to the
abolished court in a statute, rule, or other document is considered
a reference to the remaining court.
(f) On the abolition date, all proceedings pending before the
abolished court are transferred to the remaining court.
Sec. 8. (a) This section applies if, on the abolition date, there are
two (2) or more remaining courts.
(b) On the abolition date, all agreements and liabilities of the
abolished court are transferred to the remaining courts in a
manner jointly determined by the remaining courts.
(c) On the abolition date, all records and property of the
abolished court, including appropriations and other funds under
the control or supervision of the court, are transferred to the
remaining courts in a manner jointly determined by the remaining
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courts.
(d) On the abolition date, any amounts owed to the abolished
court before the abolition date are considered to be owed to the
remaining courts, in a manner jointly determined by the remaining
courts.
(e) On and after the abolition date, any reference to the
abolished court in a statute, rule, or other document is considered
a reference to a remaining court, as jointly determined by the
remaining courts.
(f) On the abolition date, all proceedings pending before the
abolished court are transferred to the remaining courts in a
manner jointly determined by the remaining courts.
SECTION 3. IC 33-33-5-2 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 2. (a) There is
established a court of record to be known as the Blackford superior
court.
(b) The Blackford superior court is a standard superior court as
described in IC 33-29-1.
(c) Blackford County comprises the judicial district of the court.
(d) The Blackford superior court is abolished on December 31,
2028.
(e) This section expires January 1, 2029.
SECTION 4. IC 33-33-5-3 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 3. (a) The Blackford
superior court has one (1) judge who shall hold sessions in the
Blackford County courthouse in Hartford City or in any other places in
the county as the Blackford County executive may provide.
(b) The Blackford superior court is abolished on December 31,
2028.
(c) This section expires January 1, 2029.
SECTION 5. IC 33-33-5-4 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 4. (a) In addition to a
bailiff and an official court reporter for the court appointed under
IC 33-29-1-5, the judge of the Blackford superior court may appoint a
referee, commissioner, or other personnel as the judge considers
necessary to facilitate and transact the business of the court. The salary
of a referee, commissioner, or other person:
(1) shall be fixed in the same manner as the salaries of the
personnel for the Blackford circuit court; and
(2) shall be paid monthly out of the treasury of Blackford County
as provided by law.
(b) Personnel appointed under this section and IC 33-29-1-5
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continue in office until removed by the judge of the court.
(c) The Blackford superior court is abolished on December 31,
2028.
(d) This section expires January 1, 2029.
SECTION 6. IC 33-33-20-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.1-2006,
SECTION 503, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 2. (a) The judges of the Elkhart
circuit and superior courts may jointly appoint two four (4) full-time
magistrates under IC 33-23-5 to serve the circuit and superior courts.
(b) A magistrate continues in office until removed by the judges of
the circuit and superior courts.
SECTION 7. IC 33-33-29-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.123-2021,
SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 2. (a) There are established seven (7) nine (9)
superior courts of record to be known as the:
(1) Hamilton superior court No. 1;
(2) Hamilton superior court No. 2;
(3) Hamilton superior court No. 3;
(4) Hamilton superior court No. 4;
(5) Hamilton superior court No. 5;
(6) Hamilton superior court No. 6; and
(7) Hamilton superior court No. 7;
(8) Hamilton superior court No. 8; and
(9) Hamilton superior court No. 9.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, each Hamilton
superior court is a standard superior court as described in IC 33-29-1.
(c) Hamilton County constitutes the judicial district of each court.
SECTION 8. IC 33-33-29-2.3 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 2.3. (a) Notwithstanding section
2 of this chapter, Hamilton superior court No. 8 and Hamilton
superior court No. 9 are established January 1, 2027.
(b) The first judge of Hamilton superior court No. 8 and
Hamilton superior court No. 9 shall:
(1) be elected at the November 2026 general election;
(2) take office January 1, 2027; and
(3) serve a term of six (6) years.
(c) This section expires January 1, 2033.
SECTION 9. IC 33-33-29-6, AS AMENDED BY P.L.138-2020,
SECTION 20, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 6. (a) The judge of the Hamilton circuit court and
the judges of the Hamilton superior courts may jointly appoint four (4)
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six (6) full-time magistrates under IC 33-23-5 to serve the circuit and
superior courts.
(b) A magistrate continues in office until jointly removed by the
judge of the Hamilton circuit court and the judges of the Hamilton
superior courts.
SECTION 10. IC 33-33-40-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.138-2020,
SECTION 21, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 1. (a) Jennings County constitutes the eighty-sixth
judicial circuit.
(b) The Jennings circuit court has a standard small claims and
misdemeanor division.
(c) The judge of the Jennings circuit court and the judge of the
Jennings superior court may jointly appoint one (1) full-time magistrate
under IC 33-23-5 to serve the circuit and superior courts. This
subsection expires December 31, 2025.
(d) A magistrate continues in office until jointly removed by the
judge of the Jennings circuit court and the judge of the Jennings
superior court. This subsection expires December 31, 2025.
(e) Beginning January 1, 2026, the judges of the Jennings circuit
and superior court may not appoint a magistrate under IC 33-23-5.
(f) A magistrate appointed under this section is terminated by
operation of law on December 31, 2025.
SECTION 11. IC 33-33-47-6 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 6. (a) In addition to the
personnel appointed under IC 33-29-1-5, each judge may appoint
additional officers and personnel necessary for the proper
administration of the judge's duties as judge of the Lawrence superior
court.
(b) The judge of the Lawrence County juvenile court may
appoint not more than one (1) full-time magistrate under
IC 33-23-5.
SECTION 12. IC 33-33-53-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.237-2005,
SECTION 20, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 1. (a) Monroe County constitutes the tenth judicial
circuit.
(b) There are nine (9) judges of the Monroe circuit court. This
subsection expires December 31, 2026.
(c) Beginning January 1, 2027, there are eight (8) judges of the
Monroe circuit court.
(d) Monroe County circuit court division 2, seat 6 is abolished
on December 31, 2026.
SECTION 13. IC 33-33-84-22 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
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CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 22. (a) The judges of the Vigo
circuit and superior courts may jointly appoint one (1) full-time
magistrate under IC 33-23-5 to serve the circuit and superior
courts.
(b) The magistrate continues in office until removed by the
judges of the Vigo circuit and superior courts.
HEA 1144 — CC 1
Speaker of the House of Representatives
President of the Senate
President Pro Tempore
Governor of the State of Indiana
Date: Time:
HEA 1144 — CC 1Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.