On July 18, 2011, an article appeared in the Wall Street Journal that criticized the operations of the nine township small claims courts in Marion County. The paper launched several additional stories covering litigant complaints of forum shopping, exorbitant attorney’s fees, and other unfair debt collection practices. Under the leadership of Marion Circuit Court Judge Sheryl Lynch and former Circuit Court Judge L … [Read more...] about Reforms to the Marion County Small Claims Courts
Small Claims
Marion County Small Claims Courts: National Experts Recommend Improvements
Editor’s Note: The Indianapolis Bar Association addressed concerns about the Marion County Small Claims Courts in 1992, and after extensive study made recommendations for improvement in a report issued in 1998. These recommendations were not implemented. On July 18, 2011 the Wall Street Journal published an article, “In Debt Collecting, Location Matters,” which raised questions about forum-shopping in the Marion Count … [Read more...] about Marion County Small Claims Courts: National Experts Recommend Improvements
Improved but not perfect: Marion County Small Claims Courts two years later
In May 2012, the Marion County Small Claims Courts Task Force (“Task Force”) issued a report describing serious problems in the management and procedures of the county’s nine small claims courts. This report recommended a number of reform efforts—some of which could be accomplished by local court rule, and others which required legislative action. Before this report was issued, the Marion County Circuit Court created … [Read more...] about Improved but not perfect: Marion County Small Claims Courts two years later
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
Supreme Court Addresses Access to Justice Issues in the Small Claims Courts of Marion County
The Indiana Supreme Court recently sought the assistance of the Supreme Court Rules Committee and a specially appointed Task Force in addressing some potential access to justice issues in the Marion County Small Claims Court system. The matters were introduced to a national audience in an article appearing in the July 18, 2011 Wall Street Journal. It raised questions about some of the practices and procedures … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Addresses Access to Justice Issues in the Small Claims Courts of Marion County