Title 31, FAMILY LAW AND JUVENILE LAW

Sec. 4. If a child is taken into custody without an order of the court, the person taking the child into custody: (1) may: (A) release the child; or (B) deliver the child to a place designated by the juvenile court; and (2) if the child is detained, shall promptly notify the chil…

Sec. 5. If the child was not taken into custody under an order of the court, the intake officer shall investigate the reasons for the child's detention. The intake officer shall release the child to the child's parent, guardian, or custodian upon the person's written promise to b…

Sec. 6. (a) The department shall submit written information to a parent, custodian, or guardian of a child who is alleged to be abused or neglected regarding the following legal rights of the parent, custodian, or guardian: (1) The right to have a detention hearing held by a cour…

Sec. 7. (a) This section applies to services and programs provided to or on behalf of a child alleged to be a child in need of services at any time before: (1) entry of a dispositional decree under IC 31-34-20; or (2) approval of a program of informal adjustment under IC 31-34-8.…

Sec. 8. If a child is placed under this article in a temporary out-of-home placement in a location in which a sibling of the child resides, the department shall, before changing the placement of the child, consider whether separating the child from the child's sibling is in the c…

Sec. 1. This chapter applies to an action initiated to terminate a parent-child relationship under: (1) IC 31-35-2; or (2) IC 31-35-3. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-15-1 part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.18.

Sec. 2. A statement or videotape that: (1) is made by a child who at the time of the statement or videotape: (A) is less than fourteen (14) years of age; or (B) is at least fourteen (14) years of age but less than eighteen (18) years of age and has a disability attributable to an…

Sec. 3. A statement or videotape described in section 2 of this chapter is admissible in evidence in an action to determine whether the parent-child relationship should be terminated if, after notice to the parties of a hearing and of their right to be present: (1) the court find…

Sec. 4. A statement or videotape may not be admitted in evidence under this chapter unless the attorney for the department informs the parties of: (1) an intention to introduce the statement or videotape in evidence; and (2) the content of the statement or videotape; at least sev…

Sec. 1. A child may be taken into custody by a law enforcement officer under an order of the court. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-4-4(a) part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.20.

Sec. 2. A child may be taken into custody by a law enforcement officer acting with probable cause to believe that the child has committed a delinquent act. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-4-4(b).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.20.

Sec. 3. (a) This section applies if a child is arrested or taken into custody for allegedly committing an act that would be any of the following crimes if committed by an adult: (1) Murder (IC 35-42-1-1). (2) Attempted murder (IC 35-41-5-1). (3) Voluntary manslaughter (IC 35-42-1…

Sec. 3.5. (a) This section does not apply to an emancipated minor. (b) This section does not apply if: (1) there is a medical emergency involving the child described in subsection (c); or (2) there is an ongoing emergency or concern for student safety. (c) This section applies if…

Sec. 4. Any facility that is used or has been used to house or hold juveniles shall give a representative or designee of the Indiana criminal justice institute's compliance monitoring program reasonable access to inspect and monitor the facility to ensure that the requirements of…

Sec. 1. This chapter applies to all law enforcement records involving allegations that a child is a delinquent child or a child in need of services. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-8-1.2(a) part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.22.

Sec. 10. (a) The head of the law enforcement agency shall grant any party to a criminal or juvenile delinquency proceeding access to a person's records if the information may be used: (1) to impeach the person as a witness; or (2) to discredit the person's reputation if the perso…

Sec. 11. The victim of a delinquent act may ask a law enforcement agency if there is probable cause to believe that a specified child committed the act. The head of the agency shall release the child's name to the victim if the victim requires the name to proceed with a civil act…

Sec. 12. Whenever the head of a law enforcement agency grants access to the agency's records, that person shall place a copy of the access order in the file of each person to whose records the order applies. However, if the access order is a general access order or an agreement u…

Sec. 13. A person who is at least eighteen (18) years of age may waive the restrictions on access to the person's records if the person does so in writing, stating the terms of the waiver. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-8-1.2(h).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.22.

Sec. 14. A judge of a juvenile court or the judge's employees may not exercise any jurisdiction or control over: (1) records kept and maintained by law enforcement agencies relating to juveniles; and (2) the discretion granted to heads of law enforcement agencies to release, or t…

Sec. 2. (a) The records of a law enforcement agency are available, without specific permission from the head of the agency, to a law enforcement officer acting within the scope of the officer's lawful duties. (b) The law enforcement agency shall ensure that the records are access…

Sec. 3. The records of a law enforcement agency are available, without specific permission from the head of the agency, to the judge of the juvenile court or any authorized staff member. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-8-1.2(b) part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.22.

Sec. 4. (a) The records of a law enforcement agency are available, without specific permission from the head of the agency, to any party to a juvenile court proceeding and the party's attorney. However, a: (1) child excluded from a hearing by IC 31-32-6 may be denied access to re…

Sec. 5. The records of a law enforcement agency are available, without specific permission from the head of the agency, to the judge of a court having criminal jurisdiction or any authorized staff member if the record is to be used in a presentence investigation in that court. [P…

Sec. 6. The records of a law enforcement agency are available, without specific permission from the head of the agency, to the prosecuting attorney or any authorized member of the staff of the prosecuting attorney. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-8-1.2(b) part.] As added …

Sec. 7. The records of a law enforcement agency are available, without specific permission from the head of the agency, to: (1) the attorney for the department of child services or any authorized staff member; or (2) any authorized staff member of the department of child services…

Sec. 8. (a) The head of a law enforcement agency or that person's designee may grant any person having a legitimate interest in the work of the agency or in a particular case access to the agency's confidential records. In exercising discretion, the head of a law enforcement agen…

Sec. 9. The head of a law enforcement agency may grant any person involved in a legitimate research activity access to the agency's confidential records if: (1) the person conducting the research provides written information about: (A) the purpose of the person's project, includi…

Sec. 1. If the parent or guardian of the estate: (1) defaults in reimbursing the county or department, as ordered by the juvenile court; or (2) fails to pay a fee authorized by this article; the juvenile court may find the parent or guardian in contempt and enter judgment for the…

Sec. 1. (a) If a support order entitled to recognition under this article has not been issued, a responding Indiana tribunal with personal jurisdiction over the parties may issue a support order if: (1) the individual seeking the order resides outside Indiana; or (2) the support …

Sec. 2. An Indiana tribunal authorized to determine parentage of a child may serve as a responding tribunal in a proceeding to determine parentage of a child brought under this article or a law or procedure substantially similar to this article. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Sec. 1. Each petition in a paternity action must: (1) be verified; and (2) be captioned "In the Matter of the Paternity of ________". [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-6.1-5.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.6.

Sec. 2. (a) A person less than eighteen (18) years of age may file a petition if the person is competent except for the person's age. A person who is otherwise incompetent may file a petition through the person's guardian, guardian ad litem, or next friend. (b) Except as provided…

Sec. 3. (a) This section does not apply to an action filed by the department or its agents under section 4 of this chapter (or IC 31-6-6.1-6(c) before its repeal). (b) The mother, a man alleging to be the child's father, or the department or its agents must file a paternity actio…

Sec. 4. If: (1) public assistance has been furnished for the child by the division of family resources; and (2) an assignment of support rights under Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 through 669) has been executed on behalf of the child; the division o…

Sec. 5. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an action must be filed: (1) during the lifetime of the alleged father; or (2) not later than five (5) months after his death. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-6.1-6(d).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.6.…

Sec. 6. The child, the child's mother, and each person alleged to be the father are necessary parties to each action. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-6.1-2(c).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.6.

Sec. 7. A man who files or is a party to a paternity action shall register with the putative father registry under IC 31-19-5. [1997 Recodification Citation: New.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.6.

Sec. 8. An action not otherwise barred is not barred by: (1) the death or stillbirth of the child; or (2) the death of the mother. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-6.1-6(g).] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.6.

Sec. 9. A man who is barred under IC 31-19 from establishing paternity may not establish paternity by: (1) filing a paternity action as next friend of a child; or (2) requesting a prosecuting attorney to file a paternity action. As added by P.L.21-2010, SEC.1.

Sec. 1. Either party may request a protective order to prevent domestic or family violence at any time during the dissolution of marriage or legal separation action by filing a petition under IC 34-26-5 in the court in which the case is pending. The court may not require the movi…

Sec. 0.2. The amendments made to IC 31-1-11.7-2 (before its repeal, now codified at sections 1, 8, 9, and 10 of this chapter) by P.L.293-1987 apply to the visitation rights of grandparents who have been granted visitation rights before September 1, 1985. As added by P.L.220-2011,…

Sec. 0.3. The amendments made to IC 31-1-11.7-2, IC 31-1-11.7-3, and IC 31-1-11.7-6 (before their repeal, now codified in this chapter) by P.L.270-1989 apply to adoptions in which a final order is issued by a trial court after May 5, 1989. As added by P.L.220-2011, SEC.503.

Sec. 1. (a) A child's grandparent may seek visitation rights if: (1) the child's parent is deceased; (2) the marriage of the child's parents has been dissolved in Indiana; or (3) subject to subsection (b), the child was born out of wedlock. (b) A court may not grant visitation ri…

Sec. 10. If the marriage of the child's parents has been dissolved in another state, the child's maternal or paternal grandparent may seek visitation rights if: (1) the custody decree entered in the action for dissolution of marriage does not bind the grandparent under IC 31-21-3…

Sec. 2. (a) The court may grant visitation rights if the court determines that visitation rights are in the best interests of the child. (b) In determining the best interests of the child under this section, the court may consider whether a grandparent has had or has attempted to…