Lawrenceburg City Courts Respond To COVID-19

The Lawrenceburg City Court has made the necessary changes to Court Procedures in response to Gov. Holcomb's declaration.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - In response to concerns about COVID-19, the Lawrenceburg City Court is working with the City of Lawrenceburg’s Executive Administration, local emergency management and the Indiana Supreme Court’s Office of Judicial Administration, modifying the Court’s operating procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both the public and the Court staff.  

The Indiana State Department of Health, which is Indiana's lead agency on COVID-19, has the latest information about the virus. The best approach is to use fundamental healthy practices, such as washing your hands, covering your mouth with your arm or a tissue rather than your hand, and staying home when you are ill. 

Maintaining required court operations is important. The health and safety of our employees and community are equally important. Therefore, the Lawrenceburg City Court is temporarily adjusting the way we operate.  

Governor Eric Holcomb has declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 Virus pandemic, in response to this declaration, the Lawrenceburg City Court has made the following changes to Court Procedure:  

Public Access to the City Court 

The Lawrenceburg City Court shall be closed to the public for in-person access. However, Court staff will be available to the public by telephone, email, and mail. Any interested members of the public, please contact Court staff by telephone at (812) 532-3545, by email at citycourt@lawrenceburg.in.gov, or by mail addressed to Lawrenceburg City Court, 349 Walnut 
Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025. Staff will be available during the standard operating hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.      

City Court Employees 

All staff will continue to engage in their normal duties, including processing new cases, filing denials, processing payments, setting court dates, processing deferrals, sending notices, and coordinating with parties.   

Bench Trials and Hearings 

The Court has rescheduled previously set bench trials and hearings in all civil causes of action (traffic infractions, ordinance violations, unsafe building hearings, criminal miscellaneous infractions, and ADA violation hearings). All previously set hearings shall be rescheduled after May 4, 2020. The Court shall send notice to interested parties, notifying all parties of the new hearing dates.  

Denials and Payments 

Individuals who have received a citation or violation filed in the Lawrenceburg City Court may still deny the citation or violation or admit and pay the fine and costs.  

To deny violations and citations, interested parties may obtain their “Appearance for Denial” form and their “Acknowledgment of Rights” document from the City Court’s web page located at https://www.thinklawrenceburg.com/government/city-court/. Please print, fill out, and return the documentation to City Court Staff. Staff members will be available to assist interested parties in submitting this documentation to the Court. 

To admit and pay a violation, interested parties may pay online at public.courts.in.gov. Court staff may process money order payments sent by mail. Please mail payment to the Lawrenceburg City Court, 349 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025.     

E-filing and Odyssey 

Indiana’s e-filing system is working. Cases and documents can continue to be filed through the statewide system.  

The statewide case management system (Odyssey) is working. Litigants, attorneys, press, and public can continue to view case information on mycase.in.gov.  

Failure to Appear/Failure to Pay 

The City Court has been granted the authority to refrain from entering Failure to Appear License Suspensions, Failure to Pay License Suspensions, and Civil Body Attachment Warrants. Should a Defendant or Interested Party fail to appear for a previously set deadline, please contact Court Staff immediately for assistance.  

Administrative Rule 17  

Administrative Rule 17 describes the Indiana Supreme Court's ability to oversee the local administration of trial courts in the event of any unanticipated work interruption. Trial courts can utilize the rule by petitioning the Supreme Court for emergency relief, if needed, based on local circumstances. The Lawrenceburg City Court filed an AR 17 Petition with the Indiana Supreme Court on March 16, 2020. The Indiana Supreme Court issued an AR 17 Order on March 19, 2020.