Title 31, FAMILY LAW AND JUVENILE LAW

Sec. 2. Neither costs nor attorney's fees may be taxed against an agency or its agents that is authorized to maintain proceedings under IC 31-17-2, IC 31-17-4, IC 31-17-6, or this chapter by Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 through 669) and IC 31-25-4-…

Sec. 1. (a) A child may not be placed in a proposed adoptive home without the prior written approval of a licensed child placing agency or the local office approved for that purpose by the department. (b) Except as provided in subsection (d), before giving prior written approval …

Sec. 2. Whenever the written approval for placement of a child in a proposed adoptive home is obtained from a licensed child placing agency, the consent of the department is not required unless the child is a ward of the department. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-3-1-3 par…

Sec. 3. Approval under this chapter for placement in a proposed adoptive home must be filed with the petition for adoption. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-3-1-3 part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

Sec. 1. In applying and construing this article, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it. As added by P.L.138-2007, SEC.45.

Sec. 2. If a provision of this article or its application to a person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this article that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provis…

Sec. 3. A motion or other request for relief made: (1) in a child custody proceeding; or (2) to enforce a child custody determination; that was commenced before July 1, 2007, is governed by the law in effect at the time the motion or other request was made. As added by P.L.138-20…

Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "base rate" has the same meaning as set forth in 465 IAC 2-16-4 (as in effect on December 31, 2021). As added by P.L.173-2022, SEC.4.

Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "child services provider" means the following: (1) A child caring institution, as defined in IC 31-9-2.1-42. (2) A group home, as defined in IC 31-9-2.1-115. (3) A licensed child placing agency, as defined in IC 31-9-2.1-46. (4) A secure private f…

Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "cost report" has the meaning set forth in 465 IAC 2-16-5 (as in effect on December 31, 2021). As added by P.L.173-2022, SEC.4.

Sec. 4. For purposes of this chapter, the department shall determine whether a cost is reasonable based on what a reasonable person would pay in the same or similar circumstances for the same or similar item or service. As added by P.L.173-2022, SEC.4.

Sec. 5. (a) A child services provider may request a review of the base rates approved by the department if the child services provider believes that an error or omission was made in the: (1) cost report that the child services provider submitted to the department; (2) department'…

Sec. 6. If the child services provider proves that a cost was previously covered for any provider, or is associated with: (1) accreditation; (2) staff safety; (3) child safety; or (4) a department requirement; the department may give special consideration to approval of the cost.…

Sec. 1. If the department temporarily places a child with: (1) an unlicensed kinship caregiver; or (2) a de facto custodian; the department may not remove the child from the home of the unlicensed kinship caregiver or de facto custodian solely on the basis of the unlicensed kinsh…

Sec. 1. Juvenile courts situated in adjacent counties may establish joint or multiple county guardian ad litem or court appointed special advocate services to carry out IC 31-34 and IC 31-37. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-4-18(j) part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.14.…

Sec. 2. A juvenile court may contract to provide guardian ad litem or court appointed special advocate services for purposes of carrying out IC 31-34 and IC 31-37. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-4-18(j) part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.14.

Sec. 1. If a child is alleged to be a delinquent child or a child in need of services, proceedings under the juvenile law may be commenced in the county: (1) where the child resides; (2) where the act occurred; or (3) where the condition exists. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation:…

Sec. 2. A change of venue from the county may not be granted except under section 3 of this chapter. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-7-7(b).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.15.

Sec. 3. (a) Upon: (1) the juvenile court's own motion; (2) the motion of a child; or (3) the motion of the child's parent, guardian, or custodian; the juvenile court may assign a case to a juvenile court in the county of a child's residence at any time before the dispositional he…

Sec. 1. The department shall arrange for receipt, on a twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) day per week basis, of all reports under this article of suspected child abuse or neglect. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-11-11(a).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.16. Amended by P.L.234…

Sec. 2. To carry out section 1 of this chapter, the department must use a phone access system for receiving calls that is standardized among all counties. The department shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 for the administration of this section. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 3…

Sec. 3. The department shall cause to be inserted in each local telephone directory in the county a listing of the child abuse hotline's telephone number under the name "child abuse hotline". The child abuse hotline number under this section must be included with the other emerge…

Sec. 4. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the department shall make a written report of a child who may be a victim of child abuse or neglect not later than forty-eight (48) hours after receipt of the oral or written report required of individuals by IC 31-33-5-4. (b) The…

Sec. 5. A copy of the written report of the department shall immediately be made available to: (1) the appropriate law enforcement agency; (2) the prosecuting attorney; and (3) in a case involving death, the coroner for the coroner's consideration. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citati…

Sec. 6. Upon receiving a written report under section 5(3) of this chapter, the coroner shall: (1) accept a report for investigation; and (2) report the coroner's findings to: (A) the appropriate law enforcement agency; (B) the prosecuting attorney; (C) the department; and (D) th…

Sec. 7. (a) When a law enforcement agency receives an initial report under IC 31-33-5-4 that a child may be a victim of child abuse or neglect, the law enforcement agency shall: (1) immediately communicate the report to the department, whether or not the law enforcement agency ha…

Sec. 8. (a) This section applies if the department receives a report of suspected child abuse or neglect from: (1) a hospital; (2) a community mental health center; (3) a managed care provider (as defined in IC 12-7-2.1-219); (4) a referring physician; (5) a dentist; (6) a licens…

Sec. 1. A person may give an intake officer written information indicating that a child is a child in need of services. If the intake officer completing the preliminary inquiry has reason to believe that the child is a child in need of services, the intake officer shall: (1) make…

Sec. 2. The intake officer shall send to the attorney for the department a copy of the preliminary inquiry. The intake officer shall recommend whether to: (1) file a petition; (2) file a petition and recommend that the child be referred for an assessment by a dual status assessme…

Sec. 3. The person representing the interests of the state and receiving the preliminary inquiry and recommendations shall decide whether to request authorization to file a petition. This decision is final only as to the office of the person making the decision. [Pre-1997 Recodif…

Sec. 4. A person who is accused of committing child abuse or neglect is entitled under IC 31-33-18-2(14) to access to a report relevant to an alleged accusation. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-11-18(a) part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17. Amended by P.L.46-2016, SEC.9;…

Sec. 1. A child alleged to be a delinquent child under IC 31-37-2, except as provided in section 3 of this chapter, may not be held in: (1) a secure facility; or (2) a shelter care facility, a forestry camp, or a training school that houses persons charged with, imprisoned for, o…

Sec. 2. A child alleged to be a delinquent child under IC 31-37-1 may be held in either of the following: (1) A secure facility for not more than six (6) hours upon arrest for the limited purposes of: (A) identification; (B) processing; (C) interrogation; (D) transfer to a juveni…

Sec. 3. A child alleged to be a delinquent child because of an act under IC 31-37-2-2 may be held in a juvenile detention facility for: (1) not more than twenty-four (24) hours before; and (2) not more than twenty-four (24) hours immediately after; the initial court appearance, n…

Sec. 4. A court may not place a child in: (1) a community based correctional facility for children; (2) a juvenile detention facility; (3) a secure facility; (4) a secure private facility; or (5) a shelter care facility; that is located outside the child's county of residence unl…

Sec. 1. A person on whom juvenile court records subject to IC 31-39-1 and IC 31-39-2 are maintained may request the court to modify any information that the person believes is incorrect or misleading. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-8-1(j).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.22…

Sec. 2. A person on whom law enforcement records subject to IC 31-39-3 and IC 31-39-4 are maintained may request the law enforcement agency to modify any information that the person believes is incorrect or misleading. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-8-1.2(i).] As added b…

Sec. 1. In this article: (1) "Application" means a request under the Convention by an obligee, or obligor, or on behalf of a child, made through a central authority for assistance from another central authority. (2) "Central authority" means the entity designated by the United St…

Sec. 10. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d), an Indiana tribunal shall recognize and enforce a foreign support agreement registered in Indiana. (b) An application or direct request for recognition and enforcement of a foreign support agreement must be acc…

Sec. 11. (a) An Indiana tribunal may not modify a Convention child support order if the obligee remains a resident of the foreign country where the support order was issued unless: (1) the obligee submits to the jurisdiction of an Indiana tribunal, either expressly or by defendin…

Sec. 12. Personal information gathered or transmitted under this article may be used only for the purposes for which it was gathered or transmitted. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Sec. 13. A record filed with an Indiana tribunal under this article must be in the original language and, if not in English, must be accompanied by an English translation. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Sec. 2. This chapter applies only to a support proceeding under the Convention. In such a proceeding, if a provision of this chapter is inconsistent with IC 31-18.5-1 through IC 31-18.5-6, this chapter controls. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Sec. 3. The child support bureau of Indiana is recognized as the agency designated by the United States central authority to perform specific functions under the Convention. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Sec. 4. (a) In a support proceeding under this chapter, the support enforcement agency of Indiana shall: (1) transmit and receive applications; and (2) initiate or facilitate the institution of a proceeding regarding an application in an Indiana tribunal. (b) The following suppor…

Sec. 5. (a) A petitioner may file a direct request seeking: (1) establishment or modification of a support order; or (2) determination of parentage of a child. In the proceeding, Indiana law applies. (b) A petitioner may file a direct request seeking recognition and enforcement o…