CHAPTER 46. LAPORTE COUNTY

IC 33-33-46
     Chapter 46. LaPorte County

IC 33-33-46-1
Judicial circuit; magistrate
    
Sec. 1. (a) LaPorte County constitutes the thirty-second judicial circuit.
    (b) The judges of the LaPorte circuit court and LaPorte superior court No. 4 may jointly appoint one (1) full-time magistrate under IC 33-23-5 to serve the circuit and superior courts.
    (c) The magistrate continues in office until removed by the judges of the LaPorte circuit court and LaPorte superior court No. 4.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

IC 33-33-46-2
Establishment of standard superior courts
    
Sec. 2. (a) There are established four (4) courts of record to be known as the LaPorte superior courts No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4.
    (b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the LaPorte superior courts are standard superior courts as described in IC 33-29-1.
    (c) LaPorte County comprises the judicial district of the courts.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

IC 33-33-46-3
Judges; election
    
Sec. 3. (a) IC 33-29-1-3 does not apply to this section.
    (b) Each LaPorte superior court has one (1) judge, who shall be elected at the general election every six (6) years in LaPorte County. Each judge's term begins January 1 following the election and ends December 31 following the election of the judge's successor.
    (c) To be eligible to hold office as judge of any of the courts, a person must:
        (1) be a resident of LaPorte County; and
        (2) be admitted to the bar of Indiana.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

IC 33-33-46-4
Location of court sessions
    
Sec. 4. LaPorte superior court No. 1 shall hold its sessions in Michigan City. LaPorte superior courts No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 shall hold sessions in places in the county as the LaPorte County executive may provide.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

IC 33-33-46-5
Magistrate
    
Sec. 5. (a) The judges of the court may, by a vote of the majority of the judges, appoint one (1) full-time magistrate under IC 33-23-5.
    (b) The magistrate appointed under subsection (a) continues in

office until removed by the vote of a majority of the judges of the court.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

IC 33-33-46-6
Transfer of actions and proceedings
    
Sec. 6. Notwithstanding IC 33-29-1-9, the judge of the LaPorte circuit court may, with the consent of the judge of the receiving court, transfer any action or proceeding from the circuit court to any of the LaPorte superior courts. The judge of any of the LaPorte superior courts may, with consent of the judge of the circuit or another LaPorte superior court, transfer any action or proceeding from the LaPorte superior court to the circuit court or to another LaPorte superior court. However, a judge of LaPorte superior courts No. 3 and No. 4 may not transfer any action or proceeding docketed in the small claims and misdemeanor division to the LaPorte circuit court or LaPorte superior court No. 1 or No. 2.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

IC 33-33-46-7
Jurisdiction
    
Sec. 7. The courts have the same jurisdiction as the LaPorte circuit court.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.

IC 33-33-46-8
Small claims and misdemeanor divisions
    
Sec. 8. LaPorte superior courts No. 3 and No. 4 each have a standard small claims and misdemeanor division.
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.