Title 33, COURTS AND COURT OFFICERS

Sec. 13. The court shall hold continuous sessions in places in Lake County as the court periodically determines. The board of county commissioners of Lake County shall: (1) provide and maintain: (A) suitable and convenient courtrooms for the holding of the court, together with su…

Sec. 14. The clerk of the Lake circuit court, under the direction of the court, shall provide order books, judgment dockets, execution dockets, fee books, and other books, papers, and records that are necessary for the court, and all books, papers, and proceedings of the court sh…

Sec. 15. The court shall maintain an order book at each location of the court and the order books may be signed on behalf of the court by any of the judges of the court, and the signature constitutes authentication of the actions of each of the judges in the court. [Pre-2004 Reco…

Sec. 16. All Indiana laws and rules adopted by the supreme court governing the circuit courts apply to the superior court. However: (1) a person other than a judge of the superior court of Lake County may not serve as a special judge when a change of judge is requested from the s…

Sec. 17. Any party may appeal from any order or judgment of the court in any case where an appeal may be had from a similar order or judgment of the circuit court. [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-29.5-17.] As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

Sec. 18. The process of the court shall have the seal affixed and be attested, directed, served, and returned, and be in the form as is provided for process issuing from the circuit court. [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-29.5-18.] As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

Sec. 19. (a) The court, by rules adopted by the court, shall designate one (1) of the judges as chief judge and shall fix the time that the chief judge presides. The chief judge is responsible for the efficient operation and conduct of the court. (b) The judges of each division o…

Sec. 2. (a) Lake County constitutes the thirty-first judicial circuit. (b) The judge of the Lake circuit court may appoint two (2) full-time magistrates under IC 33-23-5 to serve the Lake circuit court. One (1) of the magistrates shall serve the domestic relations counseling bure…

Sec. 20. When an action of the entire court is required, the judges of the court shall act in concert. If there is a disagreement, the decision of a majority of the judges controls. However, if the judges are evenly divided, the decision joined by the chief judge controls. [Pre-2…

Sec. 21. (a) The court is divided into civil (including probate), criminal, county, and juvenile divisions. The work of the court shall be divided among the divisions by the rules of the court. (b) Seven (7) judges comprise the civil division. Four (4) judges comprise the crimina…

Sec. 22. The judge of the Lake circuit court may, with the consent of the court, transfer any action, cause, or proceeding filed and docketed in the Lake circuit court to the court by transferring all original papers and instruments filed in the action, cause, or proceeding and w…

Sec. 23. Any judge of the court may, with the consent of the judge of the Lake circuit court, transfer any civil action, cause or proceeding filed and docketed in the court to the Lake circuit court by transferring all original papers and instruments filed in such action, cause, …

Sec. 24. The judge of the Lake circuit court may sit as a judge of the court, with the court's permission, in the civil division, without limitation and without any further order, in the same manner as if the circuit court judge were a judge of the court with all the rights and p…

Sec. 25. (a) At the general election immediately preceding the expiration of a judge's extended term, the question of that judge's retention in office or rejection shall be submitted to the electorate of Lake County under section 42 of this chapter. Thereafter, unless rejected by…

Sec. 26. The superior court of Lake County consists of sixteen (16) judges plus the Lake circuit court judge if the circuit court judge chooses to sit on the superior court of Lake County. [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-29.5-27.] As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

Sec. 27. (a) There is established a judicial nominating commission for the superior court of Lake County, the functions, responsibilities, and procedures of which are set forth in sections 28 through 37 of this chapter. (b) The board of county commissioners of Lake County shall p…

Sec. 28. (a) The judicial nominating commission (referred to in this chapter as the commission) consists of seven (7) voting members, the majority of whom form a quorum. The chief justice of Indiana or the chief justice's designee serves ex officio as a voting member only to reso…

Sec. 29. (a) The Lake County board of commissioners shall appoint three (3) members of the commission. (b) One (1) month before the expiration of a term of office of a commissioner appointed by the Lake County board of commissioners, an appointment or reappointment shall be made …

Sec. 3. There is established a superior court in Lake County (referred to as "the court" in this chapter). [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-29.5-1.] As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

Sec. 32. After the voting members of the commission have been appointed by the governor and the voting members of the commission appointed by the Lake County board of commissioners have been certified to the secretary of state, clerk of the supreme court, and clerk of the Lake ci…

Sec. 33. A member of the judicial nominating commission may serve until the member's successor is appointed. A voting member of the commission is not eligible for more than two (2) successive reappointments. [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-29.5-34.] As added by P.L.98-200…

Sec. 34. (a) When a vacancy occurs in the superior court of Lake County, the clerk of the court shall promptly notify the chairperson and each member of the commission of the vacancy. The chairperson shall call a meeting of the commission within ten (10) days following the notice…

Sec. 35. In selecting the five (5) nominees to be submitted to the governor, the commission shall comply with the following requirements: (1) The commission shall submit only the names of the five (5) most highly qualified candidates from among all those eligible individuals cons…

Sec. 36. (a) The commission shall submit with the list of five (5) nominees to the governor its written evaluation of the qualifications of each candidate. (b) The names of the nominees and the written evaluations are public records that may be inspected and copied under IC 5-14-…

Sec. 37. (a) After the commission has nominated and submitted to the governor the names of five (5) persons for appointment to fill a vacancy of the superior court of Lake County: (1) any name may be withdrawn for cause considered by the commission to be of a substantial nature a…

Sec. 38. (a) A vacancy occurring on the court shall be filled by appointment of the governor from a list of five (5) nominees presented to the governor by the judicial nominating commission. If the governor fails to make an appointment from the list within sixty (60) days after t…

Sec. 4. The court shall be known as the superior court of Lake County. [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-29.5-2.] As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

Sec. 40. An appointment by the governor or chief justice, as required by section 38 of this chapter, to the superior court of Lake County takes effect immediately if a vacancy exists at the date of the appointment. The appointment takes effect on the date the vacancy is created i…

Sec. 41. (a) Each judge appointed under section 38 of this chapter serves an initial term, which begins on the effective date of the appointment of the judge and continues through December 31 in the year of the general election that follows the expiration of two (2) years after t…

Sec. 42. (a) The question of the retention in office or rejection of each judge of the superior court of Lake County shall be submitted to the electorate of Lake County at the general election immediately preceding expiration of the term of the judge. (b) At the general election,…

Sec. 44. (a) A judge of the superior court may not during a term of office as judge of the superior court do any of the following: (1) Engage in the practice of law. (2) Run for elective office. (3) Take part in any political campaign. (b) Failure to comply with this section is s…

Sec. 5. The court shall have a seal consisting of a circular disk containing the words "superior court of Lake County, Indiana" and "seal" and a design as the court may determine, an impression of which shall be spread of record upon the order book of the court. [Pre-2004 Recodif…

Sec. 6. Notwithstanding IC 31-30-1-2, the juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction over a child who: (1) has been taken into custody in the county; and (2) has allegedly committed an act that would be a misdemeanor traffic offense if committed by an adult. [Pre-2004 Recodificati…

Sec. 7. (a) The court is a court of record. (b) The court's judgments, decrees, orders, and proceedings: (1) have the same force and effect; and (2) shall be enforced in the same manner; as those of the Lake circuit court. [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-29.5-5.] As added…

Sec. 8. (a) The court: (1) may make and adopt rules and regulations for conducting the business of the court; and (2) has all the powers incident to a court of record in relation to the attendance of witnesses, the punishment of contempts, and the enforcement of its orders. (b) T…

Sec. 9. The court has the same power to grant restraining orders and injunctions, to issue writs of habeas corpus, to appoint receivers, masters, and commissioners to convey real property, and to grant commissions for the examination of witnesses, and to appoint other officers ne…