Supreme Court seeking comments on proposed rule changes

The Indiana Supreme Court is seeking public comment on several proposed amendments to the Indiana Rules of Court.

Comments on amendments to Access to Court Records Rule 5, Trial Rule 81.1 and Trial Rule 86 are due by October 29, the high court announced Tuesday.

First, the proposed amendments to the Access to Court Records Rule 5 would exclude sexually explicit evidence from public access under new sections 5(B)(11) and (12) and temporarily exclude arrest warrants from public access in 5(E).

Proposed changes for Trial Rule 81.1 would require courts to consolidate juvenile paternity cases for multiple children of the same parents.

Lastly, the proposed amendments to Trial Rule 86 would parse the rule into three separate rules:

• TR 86 with general provisions that all e-filing users need to review including definitions and a clarification of service rules;

• TR 87 which contains specific provisions for filers such as commencement of an action; data and format requirements, special procedures for probate and guardianship filing, and a new provision requiring users comply with all e-filing procedures prescribed by the Indiana Office of Judicial Administration; and,

• TR 88 with specific procedures for court and clerk staff such as when the clerk may reject an e-filed document and handling nonconforming documents.

Public comment is invited on the proposed amendments until noon ET on Oct. 29. Comments can be submitted online or mailed to Proposed Rule Amendments c/o Jennifer Bauer, Indiana Office of Court Services, 251 N. Illinois Street, Suite 800 Indianapolis, IN 46204.