Local Rule - State of Indiana

The Court has determined that the following types of matters constitute cases that arerelated when a named party and family or household member(s) have matters pending of thefollowing types: CM, or DF filings involving domestic and/or family violence related chargesand/or substance abuse charges, and all cases of the following types: PO, JM, JS, JP, JT, JD, JC,DR, GU, AD and MH.The Family Court may exercise jurisdiction over any case involving the family at the sametime it exercises jurisdiction over a juvenile case involving the family.The Family Court may, in the court’s discretion, set hearings on related cases to be heardconcurrently, take evidence on the related cases at these hearings, and rule on the admissibility ofevidence for each cause separately as needed to adequately preserve the record for appeal. Thisrule applies only when the cases are pending before the same judicial officer.LR64-FC00-6400ASSIGNMENT OF CASES, CLERKSRESPONSIBILITIESThe supervising judge of the Porter County Family Court shall approve the assignment ofcases to the Family Court. The transfer and consolidation of cases assigned to Family Court aresubject to the provisions of these Family Court Rules.Upon assignment of a case to Family Court, case management procedures shall beimplemented, and all parties are to be notified. The Clerk is to enter the Family Court assignmenton the chronological case summary.The Clerk of the Court shall enter the answers contained in numerical paragraphs #1, #5and #6 of the entry of Appearance Form in the information field of the Jalen Case ManagementSystem. In Protective Order cases, the date of birth and social security number of the petitionershall be entered as confidential information.Notice of Case Assignment: within a reasonable time after a case is assigned to FamilyCourt: the Court shall provide to all parties in the Family Court proceeding a list of all cases thathave been assigned to that Family Court proceeding.LR64-FC00-6500CHANGE OF JUDGEChange of Judge: once notice is sent to the parties that a case has been selected for FamilyCourt, no motion for change of venue from the judge may be granted except to the extent permittedby Indiana Trial Rule 76. A motion for change of venue from the judge in any matters arising in theFamily Court proceeding or any future cases joined in the Family Court proceedings after theinitial selection of cases, shall be granted only for cause.Special Judge: if a special judge is appointed, all current and future cases in the FamilyCourt proceeding may be assigned to the special judge.Objection to Family Court designation: within ten (10) days after notice is sent that a casehas been selected for Family Court, a party may object for cause to the Family Court designation.66