Can County Prosecutors Practice Law While In Office?

Indiana elects its prosecutors for four-year terms. They are responsible for enforcing the state's criminal laws and prosecuting cases ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. While there is no explicit information on whether a sitting Indiana county prosecutor can practice law, the Indiana Rules for Admission to the Bar and the Discipline of Attorneys outline the requirements for becoming a licensed attorney in the state. These rules include passing the Bar examination and meeting specific character and fitness standards. Additionally, Indiana provides resources for legal representation, including public defender services at the county, state, and federal levels.

Who are Indiana prosecutors?

Indiana prosecutors are responsible for enforcing the criminal laws of the State of Indiana. They prosecute cases ranging from misdemeanours to felonies committed within their judicial circuits. They are elected to four-year terms and serve specific judicial circuits, which sometimes span more than one county.

The Attorney General (A.G.) is the chief legal officer for the people of Indiana. The A.G. is responsible for protecting the public interest and litigating on behalf of the state, bringing both criminal and civil lawsuits. The A.G. also has advocacy programs to protect children, consumers, and the environment, and to help crime victims.

Indiana prosecutors include:

• Brent E. Eaton
• J. Otto Schalk
• Loren P. Delp
• Michael J. Mahoney
• Mark A. McCann
• Jeffery A. Chalfant
• Wesley A. Schemenaur
• David R. Sutter
• Lynn M. Deddens
• Nathan W. Harter IV
• Neal R. Blythe
• Eric M. Hoffman
• Beth E. Schroeder
• Vicki E. Becker
• Bette J. Jones
• Daniel L. Askren
• Michael T. Marrs
• Michael R. Cochren
• Scott J. Hunt
• Jarrod D.
• Rodney J. Cummings
• E. Nelson Chipman Jr.
• Aureola S. Vincz
• Joseph R. Buser
• Steven P. Sonnega
• Jeffrey D. Drinski
• James B. Mowery

The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council is located at 302 W. Washington St., Rm. E-205 Indianapolis, IN 46204.

What are the qualifications to practice law in Indiana?

To practice law in Indiana, one must be admitted to the Indiana State Bar. To be eligible to sit for the Indiana Bar Examination, one must be a graduate of an ABA-approved law school. The following Indiana law schools are approved by the American Bar Association: Indiana University Maurer School of Law (Bloomington) and Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law (Indianapolis).

In addition to graduating from an ABA-accredited law school, one must also pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) with a scaled score of 80 within two years before or after passing the Indiana Bar Exam.

Other requirements to be admitted to the practice of law in Indiana include being at least 21 years of age and possessing the "good moral character and fitness to practice law." Anyone who has been convicted of a felony is deemed to lack the requisite good moral character. The term "fitness" includes the physical and mental suitability of the applicant to practice law.

If one is already an attorney licensed to practice in another state, they may be granted a temporary license to practice law in Indiana if they have applied for admission to the Indiana bar and meet one of the following qualifications:

• The person is employed as a full-time faculty member at an ABA-accredited law school in Indiana and is supervising law students in a clinical program of that law school.
• The person is employed by a legal services organization or public defender office that provides legal assistance to persons of limited means, free of charge.
• The person offers pro bono services to persons of limited means, free of charge, through a legal services organization or public defender office.

What are the responsibilities of Indiana prosecutors?

Indiana prosecutors are responsible for enforcing the criminal laws of the State of Indiana. They prosecute a range of cases, from misdemeanours to felonies, within their specific judicial circuits. These circuits do not always correspond to county boundaries and can sometimes span multiple counties. As such, Indiana prosecutors do not represent a single county but serve these specific judicial circuits.

Prosecutors in Indiana are elected to four-year terms and have the responsibility of a minister of justice. This responsibility entails specific obligations to ensure that defendants are accorded procedural justice and that guilt is decided upon the basis of sufficient evidence. They must disclose to the defence all evidence or information that tends to negate the guilt of the accused or mitigates the offence. An exception to this is when the prosecutor is relieved of this responsibility by a protective order of the tribunal, in cases where disclosure could result in substantial harm to an individual or the public interest.

Indiana prosecutors also have the power to convene a grand jury, which is an essential investigative tool to determine whether to proceed with criminal charges. The grand jury can issue subpoenas and interview witnesses to assess if there is probable cause for criminal charges. Prosecutors should not, however, seek to obtain waivers of preliminary hearings from unrepresented accused persons.

The Attorney General (AG) is the chief legal officer for the people of Indiana and is responsible for protecting the public interest. The AG litigates on behalf of the state in criminal and civil lawsuits and also has advocacy programs to protect children, consumers, and the environment, as well as helping crime victims.

The day-to-day responsibilities of an Indiana prosecutor include researching and drafting legal documents, court appearances, reviewing cases submitted by law enforcement for potential criminal charges, filing new cases, preparing and presenting cases at trial, attending forensic interviews, and collaborating with partner agencies. They also have some speaking engagements and public appearances.

What are the contact details of Indiana prosecutors?

Every county in Indiana has a prosecutor who serve specific judicial circuits. These prosecutors are elected to four-year terms and are responsible for enforcing the criminal laws of the State of Indiana.

The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council (IPAC) is located at:

Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council

302 W. Washington St., Rm. E-205 Indianapolis, IN 46204

Telephone: 317-232-1836

Fax: 317-233-3599

Email: [email protected]

The Attorney General (A.G.) is the chief legal officer for the people of Indiana and is responsible for protecting the public interest. The A.G. litigates on behalf of the state, bringing criminal and civil lawsuits. The A.G. also has advocacy programs to protect children, consumers, and the environment, and help crime victims.

Prosecutor: Anthony J. Sommer

Address: 475 Courthouse Square Frankfort, IN 46041

• Address: 715 Judicial Plaza Dr. P.O. Box 40 English, IN 47118-0040
• Address: 200 E. Walnut Street, Suite B-03 Washington, IN 47501
• Prosecutor: Lynn M. Deddens
• Prosecutor: Nathan W. Harter IV

Address: 150 Courthouse Sq., Suite 229 Greensburg, IN 47240-2030

Prosecutor: Neal R. Blythe

Address: 100 S. Main Street Courthouse – 1st Floor Auburn, IN 46706

Prosecutor: Eric M. Hoffman

Address: 3100 S. Tillotson Avenue, Suite 270 Muncie, IN 47302

• Prosecutor: Beth E. Schroeder
• Prosecutor: Vicki E. Becker

Address: 301 S. Main Street, Suite 100 Elkhart, IN 46516

Prosecutor: Bette J. Jones

Address: 401 N. Central Ave. Connersville, IN 47331

• Prosecutor: Daniel L. Askren
• Prosecutor: Michael T. Marrs

Address: 815 Main Street, Room 301 Rochester, IN 46975

Prosecutor: Michael R. Cochren

Address: 225 N. Hart Street, Suite 002 Princeton, IN 47670

Prosecutor: Scott J. Hunt

Address: 101 E. 4th Street, Room 107 Marion, IN 46952

Prosecutor: Jarrod D. Holtsclaw

Address: One E. Main Street, Room 247 P.O. Box 428 Bloomfield, IN 47424

Address: One Hamilton Co. Sq., Suite 134 Noblesville, IN 46060-2230

Prosecutor: Brent E. Eaton

Address: 27 American Legion Place Greenfield, IN 46140

Prosecutor: J. Otto Schalk

Address: 1445 Gardner Lane, Ste. 3101 Corydon, IN 47112

Prosecutor: Loren P. Delp

Address: 6 South Jefferson St. Danville, IN 46122

Prosecutor: Michael J. Mahoney

Address: 1215 Race Street, Suite 250 Henry Co. Justice Center New Castle, IN 47362

Prosecutor: Mark A. McCann

Address: 220 N. Main Street, 4th Floor Kokomo, IN 46901

Address: 201 N. Jefferson Street, Room 417 Huntington, IN 46750

Prosecutor: Rodney J. Cummings

Address: 16 E. 9th Street Government Ctr. Box 5 Anderson, IN 46016

Address: 251 E. Ohio Street, Suite 160 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2175

Prosecutor: E. Nelson Chipman Jr.

Address: 112 W. Jefferson, Suite 101 P.O. Box 444 Plymouth, IN 46563

Prosecutor: Aureola S. Vincz

Address: 316 Elm Street P.O. Box 119 Shoals, IN 47581

Address: 25 N. Broadway, Room 116 Peru, IN 46970

Address: 301 N. College Avenue, Room 211 Bloomington, IN 47404-3865

Prosecutor: Joseph R. Buser

Address: 100 E. Main Street, Room 205 Crawfordsville, IN 47933

Prosecutor: Steven P. Sonnega

Address: 60 S. Jefferson St. Martinsville, IN 46151-1645

Prosecutor: Jeffrey D. Drinski

Address: 310 E. Dunlap Street P.O. Box 46 Kentland, IN 47951

Prosecutor: James B. Mowery

Address: 109 W. Hazel Street Albion, IN 46701

What are the options for legal help in Indiana?

If you need legal help in Indiana, there are several options available to you, depending on your financial situation and the nature of your legal issue.

Public Defender Services

If you cannot afford a private attorney, the state of Indiana offers public defender services at the county, state, and federal levels. These services are available to those who cannot afford to hire an attorney and can provide legal advice and representation in court. However, it's worth noting that some counties may not have a designated public defender's office, in which case you can obtain information on acquiring a public defender from the court where the charges were filed.

Non-Profit Law Firms

Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (ILS) is a non-profit law firm and the largest provider of free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income individuals in Indiana. They assist clients with legal issues that affect their ability to obtain basic needs such as food, shelter, income, medical care, or personal safety. ILS also handles cases in other areas, including family law with domestic violence, housing, consumer law, access to healthcare, and government benefits. You can apply for their services online or by phone, and they serve clients regardless of race, colour, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, health condition, genetic information, veteran status, or any other consideration prohibited by law.

Online Resources

Indiana Legal Help is an online platform that provides self-represented litigants with resources to help them access the courts. While they recommend speaking to an attorney before submitting any forms to the court, their website offers various forms, legal information, and a glossary of legal terms. They also provide a free email service where you can ask a lawyer for legal advice. Additionally, IN Free Legal Answers is a webpage where you can post questions about your non-criminal legal problem and receive free answers from attorneys. However, it's important to note that the attorney will not represent you in court.

Private Attorneys

If you can afford to hire a private attorney, it is advisable to do so as soon as possible. Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and protect your rights. You can find a lawyer near you through online attorney directories or by contacting your local bar association.

Frequently asked questions