Can a court or clerk assess a fee for sending a document via facsimile? Several times each year the Division is asked whether a clerk or court can assess a fee for sending a document via facsimile. There is a statute that authorizes a public agency, which includes the judicial branch according to I.C. 4-13-1-1, to collect a facsimile fee provided it is authorized by a statute or court order. See I.C. 5-14-3-8(f). … [Read more...] about Facsimile Transmittal Fee Facts
Court Administration
New Faces in Marion Superior Court
New Court Administrator Begins in Marion Superior Court Andrea Brandes Newsom was recently named Court Administrator for Superior Courts of Marion County. Newsom graduated from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 1999 and earned a bachelor’s degree in history, magna cum laude with honors, from William Jewell College in 1995. She previously served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the Marion … [Read more...] about New Faces in Marion Superior Court
Marion County Small Claims Court Task Force Issues Report
The recurring problems in the Marion County Small Claims court system came to light on a national stage last July, when the Wall Street Journal published a lengthy report detailing pervasive problems in the Marion County Small Claims Courts. Titled “In Debt Collection, Location Matters,” this article alleged that high-volume filers receive preferential treatment and engage in “forum shopping” among the nine Marion Cou … [Read more...] about Marion County Small Claims Court Task Force Issues Report
To fee or not to fee… That is the ethical question
During economic hard times, the pressure can be immense for government officials, including judges, to find additional revenue sources to run government agencies. Judges often find themselves in the crossfire between addressing a city/county council’s concerns about budget shortfalls and maintaining the regular business of the court. Three alluring “solutions” sometimes proposed to “solve” this dilemma are to suppleme … [Read more...] about To fee or not to fee… That is the ethical question
Using a Signature Stamp: When and How
Judges have to sign thousands of documents, sometimes hundreds of times each day. It is only reasonable that judges must find ways to ease this burden by seeking help from staff. Which leads to the question: may a judge authorize another individual to sign documents on behalf of the judge via use of a signature stamp or other means? The short answer is yes, but it is not the complete answer. While a judge may … [Read more...] about Using a Signature Stamp: When and How