Local Rules
For you attorneys out there, especially those of you who, like I, often end up traveling to a county where you do not regularly practice, it is worth noting the that Indiana Supreme Court has revamped the process for adoption and distribution of local rules of court.
First and foremost, the format of local rules has been standardized, so understanding the rules once you find them should be improved. Also the process for adoption and amendment of local rules of court has been standardized, and local courts are required to provide the rules for online posting to the Supreme Court.
The due date on these changes is January 1, 2007, but many counties have already provider their rules and these can be accessed here: http://www.in.gov/judiciary/rules/local/. Some counties have already started the process of revising their local rules to comply with the new order, and per the new procedure, your can access these proposed changes at the link set forth above.
This is all a big improvement from the day when local rules were often hard to track down, and seldom very helpful when you did get a copy. The Supreme Court also did away with “standing orders” and this will provide additional clarity.
