Indiana 2025 Regular Session

Indiana House Bill HB1536 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	Introduced Version
3	3	HOUSE BILL No. 1536
4	4	_____
5	5	DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
6	6	Citations Affected: IC 31-12; IC 33-28-1; IC 33-29-5-7; IC 33-33-49;
7	7	IC 33-38-4-1; IC 33-39; IC 33-41-2-3; IC 35-32-2-1.
8	8	Synopsis: Judicial circuits. Establishes a judicial circuit for each
9	9	township in Marion County. (Under the Constitution of the State of
10	10	Indiana, a prosecuting attorney and circuit judge are required to be
11	11	elected in each judicial circuit.) Makes conforming amendments.
12	12	Effective: January 1, 2026.
13	13	Ireland
14	14	January 21, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
15	15	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 Introduced
16	16	First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
17	17	PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
18	18	Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
19	19	additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
20	20	Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
21	21	provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
22	22	word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
23	23	a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
24	24	Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
25	25	between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
26	26	HOUSE BILL No. 1536
27	27	A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
28	28	courts and court officers.
29	29	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. IC 31-12-1-1 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
31	31	2 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. (a) Except as
32	32	3 provided in subsection (b), this chapter applies only in judicial
33	33	4 circuits in which the judges of the superior and circuit courts determine
34	34	5 that:
35	35	6 (1) the social conditions in the county; and
36	36	7 (2) the number of domestic relations cases in the courts;
37	37	8 make the procedures provided in this chapter necessary for the full and
38	38	9 proper consideration of the cases and to carry out this chapter.
39	39	10 (b) This chapter applies in Marion County, if the judges of the
40	40	11 superior and circuit courts determine that:
41	41	12 (1) the social conditions in the county; and
42	42	13 (2) the number of domestic relations cases in the courts;
43	43	14 make the procedures provided in this chapter necessary for the full
44	44	15 and proper consideration of the cases and to carry out this chapter.
45	45	16 (b) (c) The majority of the judges of the superior and circuit courts
46	46	17 in each judicial circuit (or in Marion County, if applicable) shall
47	47	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 2
48	48	1 make the determination under subsection (a) or (b) annually in
49	49	2 January.
50	50	3 SECTION 2. IC 31-12-1.5-1, AS ADDED BY P.L.80-2006,
51	51	4 SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
52	52	5 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b),
53	53	6 this chapter applies in a judicial circuit in which a majority of the
54	54	7 judges of the circuit and superior courts determine that:
55	55	8 (1) the social conditions of the county; and
56	56	9 (2) the number of domestic relations cases in the courts;
57	57	10 make the procedures described in IC 31-12-1 necessary for the full and
58	58	11 proper consideration of domestic relations cases.
59	59	12 (b) This chapter applies in Marion County, if the judges of the
60	60	13 superior and circuit courts in the county determine that:
61	61	14 (1) the social conditions in the county; and
62	62	15 (2) the number of domestic relations cases in the courts;
63	63	16 make the procedures provided in this chapter necessary for the full
64	64	17 and proper consideration of the cases and to carry out this chapter.
65	65	18 (b) (c) The judges shall make the determination described in
66	66	19 subsection (a) or (b) annually in January.
67	67	20 SECTION 3. IC 31-12-1.5-2, AS ADDED BY P.L.80-2006,
68	68	21 SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
69	69	22 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. If the judges of a judicial circuit (or
70	70	23 Marion County) make the determination described in section 1 of this
71	71	24 chapter, the judges shall designate by joint order one (1) or more of the
72	72	25 judges in the judicial circuit (or Marion County) to hear cases under
73	73	26 this chapter. A judge designated under this section may hold as many
74	74	27 sessions each week as are necessary for the prompt disposition of the
75	75	28 court's business.
76	76	29 SECTION 4. IC 31-12-2-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.11-2023,
77	77	30 SECTION 97, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
78	78	31 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. This chapter applies only to the following:
79	79	32 (1) A judicial circuit in which there is located a consolidated city,
80	80	33 and if the judges of the superior court and the judge judges of the
81	81	34 circuit court courts in the county determine that the social
82	82	35 conditions in the county and the number of domestic relations
83	83	36 cases in the courts make the procedures provided under this
84	84	37 chapter necessary for the full and proper consideration of the
85	85	38 cases and the effectuation of the purposes of this chapter.
86	86	39 (2) A county having a population of more than four hundred
87	87	40 thousand (400,000) and less than seven hundred thousand
88	88	41 (700,000) in which the judge of the circuit court determines that
89	89	42 the social conditions in the county and the number of domestic
90	90	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 3
91	91	1 relations cases in the county's courts make the procedures
92	92	2 provided under this chapter necessary for the full and proper
93	93	3 consideration of the cases and the effectuation of the purposes of
94	94	4 this chapter.
95	95	5 SECTION 5. IC 31-12-2-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.11-2023,
96	96	6 SECTION 98, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
97	97	7 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. For:
98	98	8 (1) any judicial circuit in which there is located in a consolidated
99	99	9 city, the judges described in section 1(1) of this chapter may
100	100	10 establish a bureau of the courts; and
101	101	11 (2) a county having a population of more than four hundred
102	102	12 thousand (400,000) and less than seven hundred thousand
103	103	13 (700,000), the judge of the circuit court may establish a bureau of
104	104	14 the court;
105	105	15 known as the "Domestic Relations Counseling Bureau".
106	106	16 SECTION 6. IC 33-28-1-1 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
107	107	17 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. The circuit
108	108	18 court shall be held in the respective counties judicial circuits at times
109	109	19 as may be fixed by law. The court shall be styled "____________
110	110	20 Circuit Court", according to the name of the county in which it may be
111	111	21 held, or "Marion County Circuit Court (__________ Township)",
112	112	22 for a circuit court in Marion County.
113	113	23 SECTION 7. IC 33-28-1-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.195-2019,
114	114	24 SECTION 3, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
115	115	25 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. (a) All circuit courts have:
116	116	26 (1) original and concurrent jurisdiction in all civil cases and in all
117	117	27 criminal cases;
118	118	28 (2) original and concurrent jurisdiction with the superior courts in
119	119	29 all user fee cases;
120	120	30 (3) de novo appellate jurisdiction of appeals from city and town
121	121	31 courts; and
122	122	32 (4) in Marion County, de novo appellate jurisdiction of appeals
123	123	33 from township small claims courts established under IC 33-34.
124	124	34 (b) The circuit court also has the appellate jurisdiction that may be
125	125	35 conferred by law upon it.
126	126	36 (c) Each circuit court located in Marion County may:
127	127	37 (1) hold trials and other proceedings from a courthouse
128	128	38 located anywhere in Marion County; and
129	129	39 (2) may exercise jurisdiction throughout the county.
130	130	40 Circuit courts located in Marion County may agree to share office
131	131	41 space, courtrooms, and other facilities with other circuit courts
132	132	42 located in Marion County.
133	133	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 4
134	134	1 SECTION 8. IC 33-28-1-6 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
135	135	2 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 6. When the
136	136	3 subject matter of a circuit court is situated in two (2) or more counties,
137	137	4 or two (2) or more judicial circuits within a county, the court that
138	138	5 takes cognizance of the matter first shall retain the matter.
139	139	6 SECTION 9. IC 33-28-1-7 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
140	140	7 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 7. The circuit
141	141	8 court of each county, or of each judicial circuit within a county, shall
142	142	9 have a seal. A description of the seal must be signed by the judge
143	143	10 devising the seal. The seal must be filed by the clerk and recorded.
144	144	11 SECTION 10. IC 33-28-1-8 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
145	145	12 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 8. (a) This section
146	146	13 applies to a new county or judicial circuit in which a seal has not been
147	147	14 devised for the county's circuit court or the circuit court of a judicial
148	148	15 circuit.
149	149	16 (b) The clerk of a circuit court located in a county subject to this
150	150	17 section may seal all papers required by law to be sealed with the seal
151	151	18 of the circuit court with the clerk's private seal. Papers sealed with the
152	152	19 clerk's seal under this section are considered to have been sealed with
153	153	20 a seal devised by the circuit court.
154	154	21 SECTION 11. IC 33-29-5-7 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
155	155	22 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 7. To be eligible
156	156	23 to hold office as a judge of a circuit or superior court, a person must
157	157	24 be a resident of the judicial circuit that the judge serves. However, a
158	158	25 judge of the Marion superior court may reside anywhere within
159	159	26 Marion County.
160	160	27 SECTION 12. IC 33-33-49-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.17-2016,
161	161	28 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
162	162	29 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. (a) The nineteenth judicial circuit is
163	163	30 abolished. By operation of law, the judge of the nineteenth judicial
164	164	31 circuit becomes the judge of the one hundred and fourth judicial
165	165	32 circuit, and all employees, assets, liabilities, and pending
166	166	33 proceedings are transferred from the nineteenth judicial circuit to
167	167	34 the one hundred and fourth judicial circuit. The magistrate of the
168	168	35 nineteenth judicial circuit court becomes the magistrate of the one
169	169	36 hundred and fourth judicial circuit.
170	170	37 (a) (b) Marion County constitutes contains the nineteenth judicial
171	171	38 circuit. following judicial circuits:
172	172	39 (1) Pike Township constitutes the one hundredth judicial
173	173	40 circuit.
174	174	41 (2) Washington Township constitutes the one hundred and
175	175	42 first judicial circuit.
176	176	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 5
177	177	1 (3) Lawrence Township constitutes the one hundred and
178	178	2 second judicial circuit.
179	179	3 (4) Wayne Township constitutes the one hundred and third
180	180	4 judicial circuit.
181	181	5 (5) Center Township constitutes the one hundred and fourth
182	182	6 judicial circuit.
183	183	7 (6) Warren Township constitutes the one hundred and fifth
184	184	8 judicial circuit.
185	185	9 (7) Decatur Township constitutes the one hundred and sixth
186	186	10 judicial circuit.
187	187	11 (8) Perry Township constitutes the one hundred and seventh
188	188	12 judicial circuit.
189	189	13 (9) Franklin Township constitutes the one hundred and eighth
190	190	14 judicial circuit.
191	191	15 (b) (c) The judge of the Marion the one hundred and fourth circuit
192	192	16 court (Marion County Circuit Court (Center Township)) may
193	193	17 appoint one (1) full-time magistrate under IC 33-23-5 to serve the
194	194	18 circuit court. The magistrate continues in office until removed by the
195	195	19 judge.
196	196	20 SECTION 13. IC 33-33-49-11 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
197	197	21 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 11. (a) The court
198	198	22 may adopt rules for conducting the business of the court. Except as
199	199	23 provided in subsection (b), in all matters action of the court may only
200	200	24 be taken by a vote of a majority of the judges sitting at the time the vote
201	201	25 is taken.
202	202	26 (b) Action of the court to remove the presiding judge or either
203	203	27 associate presiding judge may only be taken by a vote of two-thirds
204	204	28 (2/3) of the judges sitting at the time the vote is taken.
205	205	29 (c) The court has all the powers incident to a court of record in
206	206	30 relation to the attendance of witnesses, punishment of contempts, and
207	207	31 enforcement of the court's orders. The judges may administer oaths,
208	208	32 solemnize marriages, take and certify acknowledgments of deeds and
209	209	33 all legal instruments, and to give all necessary certificates for the
210	210	34 authentication of the records and proceedings in the court.
211	211	35 (d) The court has jurisdiction throughout Marion County and
212	212	36 may be located in and hold trials and other proceedings from a
213	213	37 courthouse located anywhere in Marion County.
214	214	38 SECTION 14. IC 33-38-4-1 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
215	215	39 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. (a) Except as
216	216	40 provided in subsection (b), the judge of the circuit court in a county
217	217	41 having a population of at least four hundred thousand (400,000) may
218	218	42 appoint a chief clerk for the court.
219	219	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 6
220	220	1 (b) If a county having a population of at least four hundred
221	221	2 thousand (400,000) has more than one (1) circuit court judge, the
222	222	3 judges may jointly appoint a chief clerk.
223	223	4 SECTION 15. IC 33-39-1-1.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
224	224	5 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
225	225	6 [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1.5. (a) The nineteenth
226	226	7 judicial circuit (coextensive with Marion County) is abolished and
227	227	8 replaced with the judicial circuits described in IC 33-33-49-2(b). By
228	228	9 operation of law, the prosecuting attorney of the nineteenth
229	229	10 judicial circuit becomes the prosecuting attorney of the one
230	230	11 hundred and fourth judicial circuit (Center Township), and all
231	231	12 employees, assets, liabilities, and pending proceedings are
232	232	13 transferred from the nineteenth judicial circuit to the one hundred
233	233	14 and fourth judicial circuit.
234	234	15 SECTION 16. IC 33-39-1-5, AS AMENDED BY P.L.9-2022,
235	235	16 SECTION 74, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
236	236	17 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 5. (a) Except as provided in
237	237	18 IC 12-15-23-6(d), the prosecuting attorneys, within their respective
238	238	19 jurisdictions, shall:
239	239	20 (1) conduct all prosecutions for felonies, misdemeanors, or
240	240	21 infractions and all suits on forfeited recognizances;
241	241	22 (2) superintend, on behalf of counties or any of the trust funds, all
242	242	23 suits in which the counties or trust funds may be interested or
243	243	24 involved; and
244	244	25 (3) perform all other duties required by law.
245	245	26 (b) The prosecuting attorney of a judicial circuit located in
246	246	27 Marion County has jurisdiction to perform the actions described
247	247	28 in subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) anywhere within Marion County.
248	248	29 SECTION 17. IC 33-39-6-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.55-2022,
249	249	30 SECTION 8, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
250	250	31 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. (a) Prosecuting attorneys and deputy
251	251	32 prosecuting attorneys are entitled to receive the compensation provided
252	252	33 in this chapter. The minimum compensation of the prosecuting
253	253	34 attorneys shall be paid in the manner prescribed in section 5 of this
254	254	35 chapter. The compensation of the deputy prosecuting attorneys shall be
255	255	36 paid in the manner prescribed in section 2 of this chapter.
256	256	37 (b) Upon the allowance of an itemized and verified claim by the
257	257	38 board of county commissioners, the auditor of the county shall issue a
258	258	39 warrant to a prosecuting attorney or deputy prosecuting attorney who
259	259	40 filed the claim to pay any part of the compensation of a prosecuting
260	260	41 attorney or a deputy prosecuting attorney that exceeds the amount that
261	261	42 the state is to pay.
262	262	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 7
263	263	1 (c) A deputy prosecuting attorney who knowingly divides
264	264	2 compensation with the prosecuting attorney or any other officer or
265	265	3 person in connection with employment commits a Class B
266	266	4 misdemeanor.
267	267	5 (d) A prosecuting attorney or any other officer or person who
268	268	6 knowingly accepts any division of compensation described in
269	269	7 subsection (c) commits a Class B misdemeanor.
270	270	8 (e) The prosecuting attorneys council of Indiana shall call at least
271	271	9 one (1) and not more than two (2) conferences of the prosecuting
272	272	10 attorneys, each year, to consider, discuss, and develop coordinated
273	273	11 plans for the enforcement of the laws of Indiana. The conferences of
274	274	12 the prosecuting attorneys are subject to the following:
275	275	13 (1) The date or dates upon which the conferences are held shall
276	276	14 be fixed by the prosecuting attorneys council of Indiana.
277	277	15 (2) The expenses necessarily incurred by a prosecuting attorney
278	278	16 in attending a conference, including the actual expense of
279	279	17 transportation to and from the place where the conference is held,
280	280	18 together with meals and lodging, shall be paid from the general
281	281	19 fund of the county upon the presentation of an itemized and
282	282	20 verified claim, filed as required by law, and by warrant issued by
283	283	21 the county auditor.
284	284	22 (3) If there is more than one (1) county in any judicial circuit, the
285	285	23 expenses of the prosecuting attorneys incurred by virtue of this
286	286	24 subsection shall be paid from the general fund of the respective
287	287	25 counties constituting the circuit in the same proportion as the
288	288	26 populations of the counties.
289	289	27 (4) If there is more than one (1) judicial circuit in any county,
290	290	28 the expenses of every prosecuting attorney located in the
291	291	29 county that are incurred by virtue of this subsection shall be
292	292	30 paid from the general fund of the county.
293	293	31 SECTION 18. IC 33-39-6-10 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
294	294	32 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
295	295	33 [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 10. If there is more than one
296	296	34 (1) judicial circuit in any county, the prosecuting attorneys of a
297	297	35 judicial circuit located within that county may agree to share office
298	298	36 space, courtrooms, and other facilities with the prosecuting
299	299	37 attorney of any other judicial circuit located in that county.
300	300	38 SECTION 19. IC 33-41-2-3 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
301	301	39 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 3. As used in this
302	302	40 chapter, "judicial circuit" means:
303	303	41 (1) any county comprising a single judicial circuit; or
304	304	42 (2) any combination of one (1) or more counties comprising a
305	305	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 8
306	306	1 single judicial circuit; or
307	307	2 (3) a judicial circuit located in a county containing more than
308	308	3 one (1) judicial circuit.
309	309	4 SECTION 20. IC 35-32-2-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.115-2005,
310	310	5 SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
311	311	6 JANUARY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. (a) Criminal actions shall be tried in the
312	312	7 county where the offense was committed, except as otherwise provided
313	313	8 by law.
314	314	9 (b) If a criminal offense is committed in Marion County, the
315	315	10 criminal action shall be tried by the prosecuting attorney of the
316	316	11 judicial circuit where the offense was committed, except as
317	317	12 otherwise provided by law. If the trial may be held in Marion
318	318	13 County under this section or otherwise, the trial may be held
319	319	14 anywhere in Marion County.
320	320	15 (b) (c) If a person committing an offense upon the person of another
321	321	16 is located in one (1) county and the person's victim is located in another
322	322	17 county at the time of the commission of the offense, the trial may be in
323	323	18 either of the counties.
324	324	19 (c) (d) If the offense involves killing or causing the death of another
325	325	20 human being, the trial may be in the county in which the:
326	326	21 (1) cause of death is inflicted;
327	327	22 (2) death occurs; or
328	328	23 (3) victim's body is found.
329	329	24 (d) (e) If an offense is committed in Indiana and it cannot readily be
330	330	25 determined in which county the offense was committed, trial may be in
331	331	26 any county in which an act was committed in furtherance of the
332	332	27 offense.
333	333	28 (e) (f) If an offense is commenced outside Indiana and completed
334	334	29 within Indiana, the offender may be tried in any county where any act
335	335	30 in furtherance of the offense occurred.
336	336	31 (f) (g) If an offense commenced inside Indiana is completed outside
337	337	32 Indiana, the offender shall be tried in any county where an act in
338	338	33 furtherance of the offense occurred.
339	339	34 (g) (h) If an offense is committed on the portions of the Ohio or
340	340	35 Wabash Rivers where they form a part of the boundaries of this state,
341	341	36 trial may be in the county that is adjacent to the river and whose
342	342	37 boundaries, if projected across the river, would include the place where
343	343	38 the offense was committed.
344	344	39 (h) (i) If an offense is committed at a place which is on or near a
345	345	40 common boundary which is shared by two (2) or more counties and it
346	346	41 cannot be readily determined where the offense was committed, then
347	347	42 the trial may be in any county sharing the common boundary.
348	348	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 9
349	349	1 (i) (j) If an offense is committed on a public highway (as defined in
350	350	2 IC 9-25-2-4) that runs on and along a common boundary shared by two
351	351	3 (2) or more counties, the trial may be held in any county sharing the
352	352	4 common boundary.
353	353	5 (j) (k) If an offense is committed by use of the Internet or another
354	354	6 computer network (as defined in IC 35-43-2-3), the trial may be held
355	355	7 in any county:
356	356	8 (1) from which or to which access to the Internet or other
357	357	9 computer network was made; or
358	358	10 (2) in which any computer, computer data, computer software, or
359	359	11 computer network that was used to access the Internet or other
360	360	12 computer network is located.
361	361	13 (k) (l) If an offense:
362	362	14 (1) is committed by use of:
363	363	15 (A) the Internet or another computer network (as defined in
364	364	16 IC 35-43-2-3); or
365	365	17 (B) another form of electronic communication; and
366	366	18 (2) occurs outside Indiana and the victim of the offense resides in
367	367	19 Indiana at the time of the offense;
368	368	20 the trial may be held in the county where the victim resides at the time
369	369	21 of the offense.
370	370	22 SECTION 21. [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026] (a) As used in
371	371	23 this SECTION, "new court" means the Marion County Circuit
372	372	24 Court (Center Township) (one hundred and fourth judicial circuit)
373	373	25 established on January 1, 2026.
374	374	26 (b) As used in this SECTION, "old court" means the Marion
375	375	27 County Circuit Court (nineteenth judicial circuit) in existence on
376	376	28 December 31, 2025.
377	377	29 (c) On January 1, 2026, the judge of the old court becomes the
378	378	30 judge of the new court without change in compensation, seniority,
379	379	31 or benefits. The judge is entitled to have the judge's prior service
380	380	32 included for purposes of computing any applicable employment
381	381	33 and retirement benefits.
382	382	34 (d) The term of the judge expires on the same date that the
383	383	35 judge's term would have expired had the judge remained the judge
384	384	36 of the old court.
385	385	37 (e) The employees of the old court on December 31, 2025,
386	386	38 become employees of the new court on January 1, 2026, without
387	387	39 change in compensation, seniority, or benefits, and are entitled to
388	388	40 have their service under the new court included for purposes of
389	389	41 computing any applicable employment and retirement benefits.
390	390	42 (f) All cases and proceedings pending before the old court on
391	391	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 10
392	392	1 December 31, 2025, are transferred to the new court on January 1,
393	393	2 2026.
394	394	3 (g) On January 1, 2026, all agreements and liabilities of the old
395	395	4 court are transferred to the new court.
396	396	5 (h) On January 1, 2026, all records and property of the old
397	397	6 court, including appropriations and other funds under the control
398	398	7 or supervision of the old court, are transferred to the new court.
399	399	8 (i) After December 31, 2025, any amounts owed to the old court
400	400	9 before January 1, 2026, are considered to be owed to the new
401	401	10 court.
402	402	11 (j) Any rules, policies, or guidelines of the old court become
403	403	12 rules, policies, or guidelines of the new court, until replaced,
404	404	13 repealed, or superseded.
405	405	14 (k) Until the remaining eight (8) circuit courts in Marion
406	406	15 County are staffed and operational, the new court may operate
407	407	16 under those policies of the old court that may be necessary to carry
408	408	17 out the court's judicial responsibilities.
409	409	18 (l) This SECTION expires January 1, 2030.
410	410	19 SECTION 22. [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026] (a) As used in
411	411	20 this SECTION, "new office" means the office of the prosecuting
412	412	21 attorney of the one hundred and fourth judicial circuit, established
413	413	22 on January 1, 2026.
414	414	23 (b) As used in this SECTION, "old office" means the office of
415	415	24 the prosecuting attorney of the nineteenth judicial circuit (Marion
416	416	25 County prosecuting attorney) in existence on December 31, 2025.
417	417	26 (c) On January 1, 2026, the prosecuting attorney of the old
418	418	27 office becomes the prosecuting attorney of the new office without
419	419	28 change in compensation, seniority, or benefits. The prosecuting
420	420	29 attorney is entitled to have the prosecuting attorney's prior service
421	421	30 included for purposes of computing any applicable employment
422	422	31 and retirement benefits.
423	423	32 (d) The term of the prosecuting attorney expires on the same
424	424	33 date that the prosecuting attorney's term would have expired had
425	425	34 the prosecuting attorney remained the prosecuting attorney of the
426	426	35 old office.
427	427	36 (e) The employees of the old office on December 31, 2025,
428	428	37 become employees of the new office on January 1, 2026, without
429	429	38 change in compensation, seniority, or benefits, and are entitled to
430	430	39 have their service under the new office included for purposes of
431	431	40 computing any applicable employment and retirement benefits.
432	432	41 (f) All open cases and proceedings of the old office on December
433	433	42 31, 2025, are transferred to the new court on January 1, 2026.
434	434	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106 11
435	435	1 (g) On January 1, 2026, all agreements and liabilities of the old
436	436	2 office are transferred to the new office.
437	437	3 (h) On January 1, 2026, all records and property of the old
438	438	4 office, including appropriations and other funds under the control
439	439	5 or supervision of the old office, are transferred to the new office.
440	440	6 (i) After December 31, 2025, any amounts owed to the old office
441	441	7 before January 1, 2026, are considered to be owed to the new
442	442	8 office.
443	443	9 (j) Any rules, policies, or guidelines of the old office become
444	444	10 rules, policies, or guidelines of the new office, until replaced,
445	445	11 repealed, or superseded.
446	446	12 (k) Until the remaining eight (8) elected prosecuting attorney
447	447	13 offices in Marion County are staffed and operational, the new
448	448	14 office may:
449	449	15 (1) operate under those policies of the old office that may be
450	450	16 necessary to carry out the office's prosecutorial
451	451	17 responsibilities; and
452	452	18 (2) notwithstanding any other law, exercise countywide
453	453	19 jurisdiction.
454	454	20 (l) This SECTION expires January 1, 2030.
455	455	2025 IN 1536—LS 7543/DI 106