Trial courts | Appellate courts | Schedule changes | Resources & sample documents | Statements & messaging | More information
The Indiana Supreme Court, in concert with other state officials, is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and has responded with guidance for state and local courts. This page is updated daily with information about how courts are continuing operations while maintaining safe practices and complying with the Governor's executive orders.
Latest updates
Follow @incourts on Twitter to stay up-to-date
See list of Supreme Court orders related to COVID-19
Questions?
Do you have questions about matters like upcoming court hearings, housing, child support, parenting time and custody, warrants, and jails?
See public access to courts during COVID-19 for more information
Lawyers, are you looking for information about distance CLE, offering pro bono services, ethical guidance during the pandemic, and managing your cases?
See information for lawyers during COVID-19
Trial courts
Trial courts should be working with their local justice system partners and public health and emergency authorities to adjust court operations as conditions require to maintain essential functions and ensure the administration of justice while protecting the health of court personnel, court users, and Hoosiers outside the courtroom.To check the status of your case and find out about hearing dates, search mycase.in.gov. If you have questions, please contact the court directly.
- Jury trials are suspended until March 1, 2021 in a December 14 Supreme Court order
- Courts around the state should be operating under the November 10 Order on Continued Emergency Actions
- Plans for how trial courts operate during COVID-19 were submitted in May; see trial court transition plans for expanded operations
- Earlier in 2020, trial courts filed emergency petitions to adjust their operations in response to COVID-19
Many courts are conducting remote hearings to move cases forward, and they are authorized by Supreme Court order (extended through July 1, 2021) to live-stream hearings that would typically be open to the public. Hearing officers in attorney discipline cases have similar guidance in a November 18 Supreme Court order. Tips on attending remote hearings are available for lawyers and litigants.
Video conferences are also allowed as a means of witnessing wills and administering oaths (extended through July 1, 2021).
Trial courts are prohibited from issuing any new orders (extended through July 1, 2021) that would apply an individual's federal stimulus payment to satisfy a judgment, with the exception of child support. And existing child support and parenting time orders around the state are still in place, though parents may petition the court to modify those orders.
Courts are also authorized by Supreme Court order to create videos or other visuals detailing their efforts to promote a safe environment for jurors, employees, and other courthouse guests.
Appellate courts
The Supreme Court reinstated in-person rotunda filing with a December 21 order, after earlier orders (April 7, April 30, May 19, June 19, and July 2) had suspended those filing methods. The December 21 order also reaffirmed that if parties cannot meet deadlines established in those earlier March 23, March 25, and March 27 orders, they may file motions for extensions of time or belated filing.
The Supreme Court also increased the limit on distance CLE for lawyers and judges.
Resources & sample documents
Guidance
- Updated memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (3-3-2021)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (2-3-2021)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (12-30-2020)
- Guidance from the Resuming Court Operations Task Force as cases surge this fall and winter (11-16-2020)
- Memo with updated guidance for court operations during the COVID-19 Health Emergency (11-12-2020)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (9-9-2020)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (7-31-2020)
- Housing & Eviction during COVID-19 (7-31-2020)
- Guidance on language interpretation in Zoom (7-6-2020)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (6-30-2020)
- Problem-solving courts COVID-19 operations resources (6-16-2020)
- Updated guidance on family law for courts and communities (6-1-2020)
- Considerations in Resuming Community Supervision Operations (5-29-2020)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (5-27-2020)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (5-20-2020)
- Ethical guidance for lawyers on COVID-19 (4-2-2020)
- Guidance on family law for courts and communities (4-2-2020)
- Guidance to community supervision (3-31-2020)
- Guidance to trial, city, and town courts regarding court operations during the state of emergency (3-30-2020)
- Memo regarding status of foreclosure and eviction proceedings (3-25-2020)
Expanding operations
- Protocol for resuming operations of the trial courts (9-15-2020)
- Template for county/court transition plans (5-20-2020) (MS Word file)
- Instructions on submitting transition plans (5-21-2020)
- Guidelines for resuming operations of the trial courts (5-13-2020)
- List of Personal Protective Equipment Vendors (5-13-2020)
Jury materials
- Sample - Video on enhanced precautions to protect jurors in Allen County, Indiana
- Video - Lake County judge and lawyers discuss participating in a jury trial with pandemic safety precautions
- Sample - Indiana jury trial checklist (referenced in video above)
- Indiana Supreme Court jury information including a jury orientation video
- Sample - Video on jury duty in Marion County, Indiana returning after COVID-19
- Sample - Jury duty in Clark County, Indiana
- Sample - Video on jury duty in Allen County, Indiana returning after COVID-19
- Sample - Video on visiting the Warren Circuit Court during COVID-19
Isolation and quarantine
- IC 16-41-9-1.5 - Isolation; quarantine; notice; hearing; orders; renewal; crime; rules
- IC 16-41-9-1.6 - Actions of public health authority in event of quarantine
- ISDH guidance on Implementing Isolation and Quarantine
- Sample county protocol for court orders
- Sample court orders imposing isolation or quarantine
Press release template
- Letter to judges on communicating court operations
- Template press release on communicating court operations (MS Word file)
Sample signage
Statements & messaging
The following messages have been distributed by the Supreme Court and Office of Judicial Administration:
- Message to judges reminding about jury suspension expiring March 1 (2-5-2021)
- Message to judges requesting review of court operations (12-04-2020)
- Message to judges about continued guidance on court operations (7-17-2020)
- Message to judges about expanding court operations (5-13-2020)
- Press release: Indiana Supreme Court to hold May oral arguments remotely (5-1-2020)
- Press release: Attorney swearing-in ceremony moved up and live stream available (4-28-2020)
- Press release: Extension of emergency orders for trial courts (4-3-2020)
- Press release: Release assessment of low-risk, non-violent juveniles and jail inmates a local effort (4-3-2020)
- Message to judges regarding AR 17 order (4-3-2020)
- Release assessment of low-risk, non-violent juveniles and jail inmates a local effort (4-3-2020)
- Press release: Adjustments to court operations designed to help meet legal needs in response to COVID-19 (3-31-2020)
- Press release: Judicial Branch operations adjust to mirror state response to COVID-19 (3-23-2020)
- Chief Justice Rush's statement, press conference with state leaders (3-19-2020)
- Message to lawyers about necessary measures for COVID-19 (3-18-2020)
- Message to judges implementing necessary measures for COVID-19 (3-16-2020)
- Press release: Indiana Judicial Branch continues to respond to COVID-19 (3-16-2020)
- Message to judges providing notice of OJA actions (3-11-2020)
- Message to judges encouraging COOP planning (3-4-2020)
Schedule changes
- Indiana Remote Bar Exam Postponed to August 4
- Indiana July bar exam will be a one-day remote test
- Law school graduates eligible to be legal interns
- Deadline to apply for Marion County judicial vacancies is moved and interviews rescheduled