How Does the Indiana Town Court Work?

Indiana Town Courts are limited jurisdiction courts established in compliance with Indiana Code § 33–35 to hear matters related to town ordinances. Indiana Town Courts typically have jurisdiction over the following types of cases:

• Cases involving all violations of a town’s ordinances (town courts have exclusive jurisdiction over these types of cases)
• Cases involving misdemeanor offenses and infractions

In addition, a Town Court also has jurisdiction over the ordinances of a town with whom it has entered into an interlocal agreement. Interlocal agreements can be reached by two towns located in the same judicial circuit in situations where one town has established a Town Court, and the other has not. Counties can also enter interlocal agreements with a Town Court located within it. Here, the ordinance violations that would otherwise have fallen under the jurisdiction of another court fall under the jurisdiction of the contracted Town Court.

Indiana Town Courts are headed by judges. The state’s judicial system currently has over 20 Town Courts. With the exclusion of judges elected before July 1, 2015, Town Court judges are required to be attorneys of good standing that have been admitted into the practice of law in the state of Indiana. Judges are also required to be residents of the town at the time of the election into the position. Indiana Town Court judges are elected in partisan elections by eligible voters of the town where the court is located. Elected judges serve a four-year term, and these judges may seek re-election for successive terms. However, a Town Court judge must retire from office at the age of 75. Town Court judges have some powers and responsibilities which include, but are not limited to:

• Adopting rules necessary for conducting the business of the court
• Compelling the attendance of witnesses where necessary
• Punishing individuals found in contempt of court
• Enforcing court orders
• Issuing commissions for taking depositions in matters that are pending in the court
• Administering oaths
• Providing all necessary certificates required for the authentication of court records and proceedings

Under some circumstances, an Indiana Town Court judge may be temporarily absent or unable to act. When this happens, the judge shall appoint a reputable practicing attorney to act as a special judge. This special judge has all the powers of the Town Court judge and will be required to perform all the judges’ duties for the duration of the appointment.

Indiana Town Courts are not courts of records. Trials are held in the absence of a jury, but defendants have the right to demand a trial by jury. The length of time it takes for a disposition to be reached in an Indiana Town Court varies by court and town and is usually dependent on the type of case being heard. However, judgments issued by this court can be appealed. Since Town Courts are not courts of record, appeals are directed to either a Circuit, Superior, or Probate Court, where the case is tried de novo (tried from the beginning without reference to the decision issued by the Town Court). Note that appeals must be filed not more 30 days after the judgment is issued.

Interested persons can obtain court records for cases heard in Indiana Town Courts online via the Indiana judicial system’s case search website, or in person at the Town Court where the case was filed. Parties that wish to utilize the case search website will be required to provide names of the parties involved in the case or the case number. In-person requests for court records can be made at the office of the Court Clerk at the appropriate court.

Indiana Town Courts can be contacted via the following information:

Avon Town Court

6550 E US Hwy 36

Avon, IN 46123

Phone: (317) 272–5478

Brownsburg Town Court

31 N Green Street

Brownsburg, IN 46112

Phone: (317) 852–1192

Bunker Hill Town Court

280 W Broadway Street

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

Phone: (765) 614–9253

Clarksville Town Court

2000 Broadway

Room 109

Clarksville, IN 47129

Phone: (812) 283–1505

Cumberland Town Court

11501 E Washington Street

Cumberland, IN 46229

Phone: (317) 894–3525

DeMotte Town Court

112 Carnation Street SE

DeMotte, IN 46310

Phone: (219) 987–5138

Edgewood Town Court

3405 Nichol Avenue

Anderson, IN 46011

Phone: (765) 649–5533

Fremont Town Court

205 N Tolford Street

P. O. Box 669

Fremont, IN 46737

Phone: (260) 495–9849

Hagerstown Town Court

49 E College Street

Hagerstown, IN 47346

Phone: (765) 489–6219

Jamestown Town Court

421 E Main Street

P. O. Box 165

Jamestown, IN 46147

Phone: (765) 676–6331

Lowell Town Court

501 E Main Street

P. O. Box 157

Lowell, IN 46356

Phone: (219) 696–4077

Merrillville Town Court

7820 Broadway

Merrillville, IN 46410

Phone: (219) 756–6185

Mooresville Town Court

26 S Indiana Street

Mooresville, IN 46158

Phone: (317) 831–1330

Plainfield Town Court

1075 W Main Street

Plainfield, IN 46168

Phone: (317) 838–3710

Pendleton Town Court

Town Hall

100 W State Street

P. O. Box 396

Pendleton, IN 46064

Phone: (765) 778–0772

Schererville Town Court

25 E Joliet Street

Schererville, IN 46375

Phone: (219) 865–5579

Sharpsville Town Court

124 S Main Street

P. O. Box 14

Sharpsville, IN 46068

Phone: (765) 963–2911

Thorntown Town Court

101 W Main Street

P. O. Box 127

Thorntown, IN 46071

Phone: (765) 436–2200

Versailles Town Court

118 W Water Street

P. O. Box 134

Versailles, IN 47042

Phone: (812) 689–6111

Walkerton Town Court

301 Michigan Street

Walkerton, IN 46574

Phone: (574) 586–2340

Whitestown Town Court

Municipal Complex

6210 Veterans Dr

Room 800

Whitestown, IN 46075

Phone: (317) 769–6948

Zionsville Town Court

1100 W Oak Street

Zionsville, IN 46077

Phone: (317) 873–8240