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Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Ind. Courts - Marion County Traffic Court in the news today

Jon Murray of the Indianapolis Star has a story today about the scrapping of the plan to move the court "to a new court complex near Lafayette Square Mall ." The current location is "on East 10th Street at Post Road, inside a police training center." Murray also has a side-bar about the traffic court scene:

The first three months under new Judge Bill Young brought stiffer fines, jam-packed proceedings and a gruff atmosphere to Marion County's traffic court.

» Working through the backlog: Double- and triple-booked court sessions have ended. Such sessions enabled the court to work through a backlog, Young said, and now the staff is setting court dates six weeks out from the time drivers contest their tickets, instead of several months.

» High volume: The court, 9049 E. 10th St., is plagued by crowding. It handles 200,000 infractions and misdemeanors a year. Last year, it collected $23.2 million in fines. Most infractions are paid without a visit to the courtroom.

» In search of a home: Officials had hoped to relocate to a complex (right) near Lafayette Square Mall.

The eventual move, Young said, "will help with a lot of people's attitudes. This is not a pleasant place."

Murray had an earlier story on the traffic court, on Feb. 22nd - see this ILB entry headed "Judge gets tough in Marion County traffic court."

Also of interest is this blog entry today by Paul Odgen, headed "Marion County Traffic Court Violates the Law?"

Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 5, 2009 12:33 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts