Cameron Miranda
There are a variety of ways to search Indiana law. The Indiana Code is passed by the Indiana General Assembly, which consists of the Indiana House of Representatives and the Indiana Senate. The Law Library at Indiana University collects state codes for all fifty states, which can be accessed in print or online. FindLaw is another website that provides a free source of state laws, where you can search by topic, such as adoption, and find laws from different states. Other websites such as PlainSite and Justia also provide access to Indiana laws and statutes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Indiana law sources | FindLaw, Indiana University Law Library, Justia, PlainSite, Govinfo.gov, and Indiana's official website |
| Search methods | Search by topic (e.g., adoption) or browse by article (e.g., Indiana Constitution) |
| Law types | State and federal court opinions, state laws, US Code, proposed legislation, Congressional Record, historical state statutes, session laws, and case law |
| Law formats | Electronic and print formats, including annotated and unannotated versions |
| Law creation process | Bills are introduced and discussed in the Indiana House of Representatives or Senate, then reviewed by the Governor of Indiana, who can sign them into law or veto them |
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What You'll Learn
Indiana's legislative process
The process by which a bill becomes a law in Indiana is outlined by the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities. First, an idea for a new bill is presented verbally or in writing to a legislator by a supporter or group of supporters. A senator or representative then decides to sponsor the bill and drafts it with research and technical help from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA).
Depending on the complexity of the legislation, it usually takes an average of three to five years for a bill to be signed into law. Bills can be reintroduced in subsequent sessions.
To learn more about Indiana's legislative process, you can refer to the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities' in-depth guide and resources on how to contact lawmakers.
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Indiana's constitution
Indiana's first constitution was created in 1816, after the US Congress agreed to grant statehood to the former Indiana Territory. However, slavery had become a divisive issue, with two major factions emerging: an anti-slavery/pro-democracy group led by Jonathan Jennings, and a pro-slavery/less democratic group led by former territorial governor and future US president, William Henry Harrison. Supporters of Indiana statehood (the pro-Jennings faction) favoured democracy, the election of state officials, and voting representation in Congress. Harrison's allies supported slavery within the territory and maintaining Indiana's territorial status with a federally-appointed governor.
On June 10, 1816, forty-two delegates convened at Corydon to discuss statehood for Indiana. The delegation passed a resolution to proceed with the task of writing the state's first constitution and forming a state government. Jonathan Jennings was elected as the first governor of Indiana, and he appointed the delegates to various committees. Notable members of the delegation included Franklin County delegates James Noble (Indiana's first US Senator) and Robert Hanna (Indiana's second US Senator).
The present-day constitution, which went into effect on November 1, 1851, is the state's second constitution. It supersedes Indiana's 1816 constitution and has had numerous amendments since its initial adoption. Indiana's citizens voted to amend the first constitution in 1851, and the 1851 Constitution is still in place today.
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Indiana's legal resources
Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (ILS) is a nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income residents throughout the state of Indiana. ILS uses the law to fight poverty and racism, empower clients, and improve access to justice. Indiana Legal Help is another resource for self-represented litigants to find easy-to-use resources to help them gain access to the courts. Indiana Legal Help also connects users to free legal advice and information. Indiana University's Law Library collects state codes for all fifty states, which can be accessed in person. The database also has many helpful legal resources, including historical state statutes and session laws. For those interested in learning more about laws across the country, FindLaw is a website that can be used to search by topic and find laws from many different states.
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Indiana's court opinions
The Indiana University Law Library also offers comprehensive resources for legal research. It collects state codes for all fifty states, including Indiana, and provides access to historical state statutes and session laws. The library holds both print and digital versions of state and federal codes, with annotations that reference pertinent cases and other resources. Additionally, the library offers access to new legal research platforms like PlainSite, which provides free accounts for non-attorneys.
For those specifically interested in Indiana's court opinions, "The Indiana Lawyer" website provides insights into various cases and decisions from the state's appellate courts. It covers a range of criminal cases, such as Bruce A. Waldon v. State of Indiana, where the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed Waldon's convictions for burglary and theft, and Salvador A. Jones v. State of Indiana, which addressed the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.
Additionally, Justia offers free summaries of new Supreme Court of Indiana opinions, providing an opportunity to stay updated on the latest case law in the state. Official copies of Indiana court opinions can be obtained from West (Thomson/Reuters) or the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court.
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Indiana's law library
Indiana University's Maurer School of Law in Bloomington has a law library, known as the Jerome Hall Law Library. The library offers assistance to those with disabilities. The university also provides a legal research guide for non-law researchers, which includes information on Indiana law.
Indiana University also has a Law Library at its main campus, which collects state codes for all fifty states, including Indiana. The library has both print and online resources, including a database of historical state statutes and session laws.
The Indiana Supreme Court Law Library is a special collection research library for the Court, which is open to the public for historical tours on Fridays. The library is also open by appointment for in-person visits. The library originated with an 1867 Act of the Indiana legislature, which transferred custody of the law books from the State Library to the Supreme Court.
The State Library, located across the street from the State House, also has many in-person and online resources.
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Frequently asked questions
Indiana's laws can be found on the website for Indiana University's Law Library, which collects state codes for all fifty states.
Yes, FindLaw is a website for non-attorneys that provides free access to state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. The Government Publishing Office also makes the US Code available for free on Govinfo.gov.
Yes, PlainSite is a new legal research database that provides access to Indiana's laws. It offers free, pro, and pro se (for self-represented litigants) accounts.
The laws in the Indiana Code are passed by the Indiana General Assembly, which consists of the Indiana House of Representatives and the Indiana Senate. A proposed law, known as a bill, is introduced in either chamber of the Indiana legislature. If each chamber of the legislature passes the bill, the Governor of Indiana will review it. The Governor may sign the bill into law or take no action, in which case the bill becomes law.
Yes, Indiana University's Law Library has print codes for all fifty states, as well as the United States Code. These codes are available in both annotated and unannotated versions.
