CHAPTER 6. CHANGE OF VENUE
IC 35-36-6
Chapter 6. Change of Venue
IC 35-36-6-1
Verified motion by defendant; bias or prejudice; hearing; duties of
clerk and sheriff
Sec. 1. (a) In any criminal action, the defendant may request a
change of venue from the county by filing a verified motion for
change of venue alleging that bias or prejudice against the defendant
exists in that county.
(b) When a motion for a change of venue is filed, the court shall
hold a hearing on the motion and may grant a change of venue to the
most convenient county. When a change of venue is granted, the
clerk shall immediately:
(1) make a transcript of the proceedings and orders of the court;
(2) seal the transcript with the original papers; and
(3) deliver them to the sheriff.
The sheriff shall immediately deliver them to the clerk's office of the
proper county, and make his return accordingly. However, only one
(1) change of venue from the county may be granted.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.311-1983,
SEC.48; P.L.170-1984, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-2
Trial in court to which venued
Sec. 2. After a change of venue, the cause shall be docketed and
stand for trial. The court to which the case has been venued shall
proceed in all respects as if the indictment had been found and
returned by a grand jury impaneled in that court, or as if the
information had been originally filed in that court.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-3
Transfer of custody of defendant
Sec. 3. When ordered to do so by the court allowing a change of
venue, the sheriff of the county from which change of venue is
granted, when the defendant is in his custody, shall:
(1) transfer and deliver custody of the defendant; and
(2) deliver a certified copy of the order for change of venue at
the same time the defendant is delivered;
to the sheriff of the county to which change of venue has been
granted. The sheriff of the county to which change of venue has been
granted shall receive the defendant and detain him in custody until
the defendant is discharged from his custody. The sheriff who
receives the defendant shall give a certificate that he has received the
defendant to the sheriff of the county from which change of venue
has been granted.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-4
New prosecution; election of court by defendant; alternative
disposition
Sec. 4. If it is necessary to institute a new prosecution for the
same offense after a change of venue has been taken, the defendant
in the case shall elect, when required to do so by the court, the court
in which he prefers the new prosecution to be instituted. He may
choose either the court from which venue was granted or the court to
which venue was granted, and, after his choice, further prosecution
shall be instituted in that court. The defendant may then be:
(1) recognized to appear in the court which he elects;
(2) committed for want of bail;
(3) detained in custody; or
(4) remanded to the county from which the change was taken;
as the case may require and in accordance with the defendant's
choice of courts.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-5
New prosecution; recognizance
Sec. 5. If in a new prosecution for the same offense, the defendant
gives recognizance to appear before the court of the county from
which the change of venue was taken, the recognizance shall be
taken of record, and shall be recorded by the clerk of that court.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-6
New prosecution; new indictment or information
Sec. 6. If on a new prosecution a defendant is prosecuted for the
offense in the court to which the change of venue was taken, a new
indictment may be found, or a new information may be filed, and the
case may be prosecuted to final execution as if the offense had been
committed in the county of that court. However, the indictment or
information in such a case must state how the proceeding came into
the court where the party elects to be tried, and that he has elected to
be tried in that county.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-7
Failure of defendant to elect county of trial; remand
Sec. 7. If in a new prosecution for the same offense the defendant
refuses to elect in which county the new prosecution is to be
instituted, he shall be recognized to appear before or be remanded to
the proper court of the county from which the change of venue was
taken, as if he had elected to be proceeded against in the county from
which the change of venue was taken.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-8
Costs and expenses; liability; audit, certification, and collection
Sec. 8. (a) In all changes of venue from the county, the county
from which the change is taken is liable for:
(1) the expenses and charges of removing, delivering, and
keeping the defendant;
(2) the per diem allowance and expenses of:
(A) the jury trying the cause; and
(B) any of the regular panel in attendance and not engaged in
the trial; and
(3) all other expenses necessarily incurred by the county to
which the change is taken that result from the change of venue.
(b) All costs and charges included under subsection (a) shall be
audited and allowed by the court trying the cause, certified to the
auditor of the county from which the change of venue was first taken,
and collected by the auditor of the county to which the change was
taken. However, where specific fees are allowed by law for any duty
or service, no additional costs may be allowed for that duty or service
than could be legally taxed in the court from which the change was
taken.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-9
Prosecuting attorney; pauper counsel; appointment;
reimbursement for fees and expenses
Sec. 9. (a) In a criminal prosecution, if a change of venue has been
taken from the county in which the prosecution originated, the
prosecuting attorney from the original county shall prosecute the case
in the trial court to which the case was venued. The trial court to
which the case was venued may appoint a prosecuting attorney to
assist on the case.
(b) In a case described in subsection (a), if the defendant is
entitled to pauper counsel, the original trial court shall furnish pauper
counsel. The trial court to which the case was venued may remove
from the case the pauper counsel furnished by the original trial court,
and:
(1) request the original trial court to furnish another pauper
counsel;
(2) appoint pauper counsel of its choice; or
(3) request the public defender of the state of Indiana to provide
counsel under IC 33-40-2.
(c) The original trial court shall determine the amount of the fee
and the expenses incurred by the pauper counsel and shall order the
appropriate reimbursement to be paid to him by the county in which
the prosecution originated. The fees and expenses of a public
defender appointed under IC 33-40-2 shall be paid in accordance
with that chapter.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.98-2004,
SEC.147.
IC 35-36-6-10
Sheriff; expenses of transportation
Sec. 10. The sheriff of the county from which venue was taken
shall receive actual and necessary expenses for transporting himself
and his prisoner, in accordance with this chapter, from the county
from which venue was taken to the county receiving the case. The
court from which venue was taken shall allow these expenses.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.298, SEC.5.
IC 35-36-6-11
Murder or Class A felony proceedings; selection of jury; verdict
and judgment
Sec. 11. (a) In any criminal proceeding wherein the defendant is
charged with murder or a Class A felony to be tried before a jury in
which a motion for a change of venue from the county is filed, the
court may recognize but decline to grant the motion, and order that
the jury be drawn from the residents of a county other than the
county in which the court is located.
(b) Pursuant to an order under this section, the court may convene
in any county in the state for purposes of jury selection. The venire
may be drawn by the jury administrator of a court in the jurors' home
county, or may be drawn by the court itself by random selection.
(c) After a jury is selected, the trial shall be held in the county of
the court's location. The verdict of the jury and the judgment based
upon it have the same validity and effect as if the jury had been
drawn from the county of the court's location.
As added by P.L.1-1998, SEC.61. Amended by P.L.118-2007,
SEC.32.