The county assessor is responsible for all assessment duties if you do not have a township assessor.

The PTABOA is either a three (3) or five (5) member board comprised of individuals “knowledgeable in the valuation of property.” The County Commissioners determine whether to have a 3 or 5 member PTABOA. The County Assessor is a non-voting member of the PTABOA regardless of the number of members. The members are appointed by the County Commissioners and the County Council.

Once a taxpayer has filed a written notice of appeal, the local assessing official is statutorily required to forward that written notice to the county PTABOA and attempt to hold a preliminary meeting with the taxpayer to resolve as many issues as possible. The assessing official will forward a copy of the results of the preliminary meeting to the PTABOA. The PTABOA will review the agreement (if one is reached) and may change the assessment. If an agreement was not reached or if an informal meeting was not held, the PTABOA must hold a hearing within 180 days of the filing of the appeal. The PTABOA must give the taxpayer at least 30 days notice of the hearing date. After the hearing and a decision is rendered, the PTABOA will issue a written determination. If the taxpayer disagrees with the final determination, or the PTABOA does not hold a timely hearing or give notice of the decision within 120 days after the hearing, the taxpayer may appeal to the Indiana Board of Tax Review (IBTR).

If you have filed an appeal, you may pay an amount based on the immediately preceding year's assessment of real property if an assessment, or increase in assessment, of real property is involved. The taxes resulting from the assessment or increase in assessment are not due until After the petition for review, or the proceeding for judicial review, is finally adjudicated and the assessment or increase in assessment is finally determined.

Effective July 1, 2012, the county PTABOA must give at least thirty (30) days notice, by mail, of the date, time, and place of the hearing to the taxpayer and the county or township official with whom the taxpayer filed the notice for review. In some situations, a taxpayer may need to request an extension of time (i.e., a continuance) because of individual circumstances (for example, the taxpayer may be waiting for some information such as an appraisal [although an appraisal is not required in the appeal process] or there may be some urgent family or work issues that must be attended to on the date scheduled for the appeal hearing). A taxpayer may request a continuance of the hearing (that is, a postponement to a later date) by filing, at least twenty (20) days before the hearing date, a request for continuance with the PTABOA and the county or township official with evidence supporting just cause why the PTABOA should postpone the hearing. The PTABOA must, no later than ten (10) days after the date the request for continuance is filed, determine whether the taxpayer has demonstrated just cause for a continuance, at which point the PTABOA either must grant or deny the taxpayer’s request for continuance.

A taxpayer may request that the PTABOA take action without the taxpayer being present and make a decision based on the evidence already submitted to the PTABOA. The taxpayer may make the request by filing it with the PTABOA and county or township official at least eight (8) days before the hearing date.

If the taxpayer or representative fails to appear at the PTABOA hearing, and the taxpayer’s request for a continuance was denied, a penalty of fifty dollars ($50) will be assessed against the taxpayer. The penalty will also be assessed if the taxpayer’s request for a continuance, request for the PTABOA to take action without the taxpayer being present, or withdrawal is not timely filed. A taxpayer may appeal the assessment of the penalty to the IBTR or directly to the Tax Court.

A taxpayer may withdraw a petition by filing a notice of withdrawal with the PTABOA and the county or township official at least eight (8) days before the hearing date. As a reminder, if it is after the eight (8) days, a penalty of fifty dollars ($50) will be assessed against the taxpayer.

The IBTR is the state administrative tax appeals board. A taxpayer who disagrees with the PTABOA’s determination may petition the IBTR for further review.

Effective July 1, 2012, if a taxpayer is entitled to a property tax refund or credit because an assessment is decreased, the taxpayer shall also be paid, or credited with, interest on the excess taxes that the taxpayer paid at the rate of four percent (4%) per year.

The assessed value should reflect the amount a willing buyer would pay for the property at the time of the assessment. When a property owner receives the notice of new assessment, the best way to determine if it is accurate is to ask if the property could have sold for approximately that amount during the valuation time period. For 2012-pay- 2013 property taxes, the assessment and valuation date was March 1, 2013. Sales from 2012 and the first two months of 2013 were used to determine this assessed value. A correct assessed value should reflect the amount a willing buyer would pay for the property during 2012 and the first two months of 2013.

Assessor Property Information website is operated by a thrid party. It can be accessed publicly HERE. Also, more information about this service, technical support and how to obtain commercial access subscription, click HERE.

Go to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance’s website at www.in.gov/dlgf.

Yes, 50 IAC 4.2 is the administrative code that covers the assessment of personal property.

The Department’s “personal property manual” can be found on the Department’s website by going to: www.in.gov/dlgf

• Click on Legislation & Policy Information
• Click on Indiana Code & Administrative Code
• Click on Indiana Administrative Code
• Click on Title 50

or by going to the following link - http://www.in.gov/legislative/iac/iac_title?iact=50 and selecting Article 4.2.

Indiana’s personal property tax system is a self-assessment system so it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to file the return. While it is the county assessor’s duty to review those returns
once they are filed, general assistance might be offered; however, each county will set its own policy on this issue based on the complexity of the issue or limited resources available to provide such services that are not required by law.

The State of Indiana does not have a minimum assessment where no return would be required if the assessed value was under a certain amount but the law does provide for a minimum tax bill. IC 6-1.1-22-9 (g) provides that if the tax liability on an assessment is less than five dollars ($5.00), a processing fee will be added to bring the liability up to the five dollar minimum.

While Indiana law does not require it, many taxpayers believe that it is a good idea to communicate this information since the assessor has the authority to place an estimated assessment on someone who he/she believes has failed to file a return. If the assessor sends a Form 113/PP (Notice of Assessment/Change), and places an estimated assessment on someone, that person would have the right to challenge that assessment within forty-five (45) days of the date of the notice.

The Form 104 is available for public inspection because it only contains the assessed value. The Form 103, however, contains cost and sales data which is confidential under IC 6-1.1-35-9. Since the previous owner and the current owner most likely have different federal i.d. numbers, one entity would not have the right to view the confidential records of the other by requesting those records from a government official. Of course, the previous owner can provide copies of those records to anyone he chooses. Since this question could be fact sensitive if a person believes that he should be entitled to this information and has been refused, he could request an opinion from the Indiana Public Access Counselor. (Visit their website at www.in.gov/pac for more information on accessing public records.)

Once discovered, the county or township assessor will estimate an assessment based upon the best information available and will send the taxpayer a Form 113/PP showing the estimated assessed value. A person receiving a notice of assessment would have thirty (30) days to file a return which would replace the estimated assessment or forty-five (45) days to challenge the estimated assessment through the appeals process (see IC 6-1.1-15). This assessment will be subject to penalties.

Yes, penalties would apply to a return filed late. The Department’s rule states that the obligation to file a return is not diminished because forms were not mailed to the taxpayer. The forms are readily available, and it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to obtain the appropriate forms and file them in a timely manner.

The tax rate is for every one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation, so that adjustment should be added to your calculation.>

No, the tax rates will be calculated later in the year and tax bills will be mailed in time to be paid by May 10 and November 10 of the following year. In other words, the taxes for the assessment date of March 1, 2015 will be payable in 2016.

No, the owner of the personal property on the assessment date is liable for the taxes on that assessment. If the sales contract contains terms which pro-rates the taxes, that is a legal agreement between two parties but is not required by Indiana law.

A small business could file either the Form 103-Short or the Form 103-Long. Typically, the taxpayer will review his depreciation schedule and determine which assets are assessed as real property, which assets are subject to excise tax, and which assets are subject to personal property tax. While taxpayers should refer to 50 IAC 4.2 for detailed information, examples of personal property would include office equipment, other equipment, and signs. Only personal property is reported on this form for taxation. While the Form 103-Short only has one pool used for reporting purposes, the Form 103-Long has four pools. Determination of which pool should be used is based on the federal life assigned to the asset. Once the proper pool is determined, the cost of the assets is reported on the appropriate line within that pool based on the Date of Acquisition. There is a 30% floor so the actual assessment is generally the greater of the actual True Tax Value calculated from the pooling schedule or the 30% of cost calculation.

The return must be filed with the township assessor, if any, or the county assessor of the county in which the property is located. To find the address of the assessor, visit: www.in.gov/dlgf/2440.htm.

If you mail a personal property return, it would have to be postmarked by the post office on or before May 15 to be considered a timely filed return. "Postmarked" does not mean the date printed by a postage meter that affixes postage to the envelope or package, but must be postmarked by the United States Postal Service as mailed on or before the due date.

The Department’s manual states that the return must be filed with the proper assessing official (“‘Original personal property return’ means a personal property tax return filed with the proper assessing official by May15 or, if an extension is granted, the extended filing date...Failure to file a return or be granted an extension of time to file a return by May 15 as required by law will result in the imposition of a twenty-five dollar ($25) penalty.”). Thus, the taxpayer may have timely filed, but he filed with the wrong entity, so he did not file “as required by law.”

Additionally, IC 6-1.1-3-7 states that a taxpayer shall, on or before the filing date of each year, file a personal property return with the assessor of each township in which the taxpayer’s personal property is subject to assessment; or the county assessor if there is no township assessor for a township in which the taxpayer's personal property is subject to assessment.

Please refer to the following map http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/Township_Assessor_Referendum_Results.pdf for remaining township assessors.

The return would be due (or postmarked) on the next succeeding business day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or federal or state recognized holiday. Please see http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/pdf/150102_-_Wood_Memo_-_2015_Assessment_Calendar.pdf for a current list of assessment dates/calendar.

Yes. If you fail to file a return by the due date of May 15, a penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25) will be applied. In addition, if you fail to file a return within thirty (30) days after such return is due, a penalty equal to twenty percent (20%) of the tax determined to be due will be imposed.

Yes. A written request for up to a thirty (30) day extension (to June 14) can be made to the county or township assessor. The request must clearly state the reason for the request. This request must be made prior to May 15. The assessing official will review the request and either approve or disapprove the request in writing. The decision on whether or not to grant an extension is made by the local assessing official, and he/she is not required to grant an extension.

Yes. The Indiana Code states that personal property that is held, used, or consumed in the production of income or held as an investment is assessable. 50 IAC 4.2-1-1.1(n) also states that the asset is assessed until it is retired from service. Examples of an asset being retired from service include the sale of the property or the conversion to personal use. While it may be possible to convert a small tractor with a mower to personal use, a combine or other farming equipment could not be considered a household item. The answer to some questions are fact sensitive because it is possible that the retired farmer rented his farm land to his sons and while the retired farmer is not using this equipment, his sons are using the equipment in the production of income. It is also possible that the farmer continues to claim a depreciation expense on the equipment or intends to only cash rent the farm land for one year. Until the equipment is retired from service, it is assessable.

It is possible that this equipment would not be assessable if it is not used in a trade or business; not held, used, or consumed in the production of income; or not held as an investment. 50 IAC 4.2-1-1.1(n) states that the asset is assessed until it is retired from service and the conversion to personal use is one of the examples given to retire an asset. While property used solely for the purpose of mowing a person’s yard would not be assessable, the Department gives great deference to local control since the determination of whether an asset meets the qualifications as personal property would be case specific.

A taxpayer purchased a piece of equipment for $70,000. Three years later, the taxpayer traded in the equipment for a more expensive piece of equipment that serves the same purpose. The net book value of the trade-in was $40,000 and the taxpayer paid an additional $50,000 in cash. The bill of sale shows that the dealer gave the taxpayer a significant discount off of the list price of the new equipment. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the new piece of the equipment was $120,000. The dealer gave a $15,000 discount and allowed a trade-in value of $55,000 which left a balance due of $50,000.

For personal property tax purposes in the State of Indiana, the new piece of equipment has a tax basis of $90,000 (net book value plus cash boot). On the personal property return, the taxpayer should report the basis of the new equipment at the $90,000 amount and not the list price of $120,000.

This is a depreciation expense for federal income tax purposes, so the tax basis would be the value for that asset for Indiana property tax purposes until it is retired through sale, exchange, scrapped, etc. For example, a $25,000 asset that was fully depreciated in the first year would have a tax basis of $25,000 for Indiana property tax purposes until it was retired.

No, it has not been eliminated. However, there were several legislative changes in 2014, including the creation of a “super abatement’ (whereby a taxpayer could get up to a 20-year property tax abatement) and optional exemptions for qualifying new business personal property (IC 6-1.1-10.3) and qualifying business personal property with an acquisition cost of less than $20,000 (IC 6-1.1-3-7.2). These provisions are effective July 1, 2015.

The use of the asset is the key. The grain bin, used for storage, is classified in 50 IAC 4.2-4-10 as real property while the legs and other loading/unloading systems are classified as part of the machinery and equipment which is assessed as personal property. The same theory applies to automatic feeding and watering systems in livestock or poultry buildings since their use pertains to the operation and not the structure of the building.

Yes. The equipment is used in the production of income and needs to be reported. 50 IAC 4.2-4-3(e) states that equipment recorded on the books at a nominal or no value must be reported at its actual acquisition cost determined by reference to the insurable value of the equipment.

This system is a piece of equipment and would be assessable as personal property. This would include the pivot, the well, the power wiring, and the pumps and motors associated with the irrigation system.

A well for the home is assessed as a part of the one-acre homesite price which includes a well and septic (or water supply and sewage service if in a city or town). The well is not assessed separately but as a part of that piece of land. All other wells are treated as personal property. The well to irrigate the field is simply a piece of equipment that supplies water for the irrigation system. The well that provides water for poultry and livestock is also personal property. Occasionally, a well serves both functions – providing water for the home, as well as for livestock or irrigation. In that case, the well would be assessed as real property in the one-acre homesite price, and the cost of piping the water to the barn or irrigation system would be personal property. Deciding that one well is real property and another well is personal property because of its use is not uncommon. The same distinction is made for electric power since some electric power has a building-related use and is assessed as real property, while other electrical power has a use related to the operation of equipment and is assessed as personal property.

Yes. Included in the personal property rule (50 IAC 4.2) is a guide intended to assist in the identification of property as to being either real or personal property. (See 50 IAC 4.2-4-10)

Yes. All equipment costs should be reported in the pools based upon the depreciable life assigned for federal tax purposes. Most equipment generally will fall into Pool #2. This is also discussed in the personal property rule at 50 IAC 4.2-4-5.

Yes. If you timely filed your original return, you may amend this return one time. This would be done by filing another return and showing “Amended” at the top of the return. The amended return must be filed within twelve months of the due date of original return. In other words, the amended return would be due by May 15 of the following year or within twelve months of the extended due date, if an extension was granted. A taxpayer may claim on an amended personal property tax return any adjustment or exemption that would have been allowable under any statute or rule adopted by the Department, if the adjustment or exemption had been claimed on the original personal property tax return. A return that is filed late cannot be amended.

Each assessment year stands alone, so any business could file the Form 103-Long; however, smaller businesses may elect to file the Form 103-Short if they meet the requirements listed on the form. This means it is possible the short form the prior year.

No, this information is not required by statute or by the Department’s administrative code, so a county cannot set a county-wide policy to request it. While an assessor cannot request this information on a county-wide basis at the time of filing, an assessor does have the responsibility of reviewing returns once they are filed. If questions arise during that review, the assessor has the authority to request a taxpayer’s books and records or explanations on the information and amounts reflected on that return.

No. An assessment must be filed in each taxing district within each county where property has a tax situs.

No, the personal property tax system in Indiana is a self-assessment system where the taxpayer determines what his assessment should be, and the assessor reviews that assessment. The mailing of a cover letter with an attached spreadsheet would not constitute the filing of a personal property return, so late filing penalties would apply if a return is not timely filed.

Computers, including the hardware and “operational” software, must be reported on the personal property return. Operational software consists of the software that makes the computer hardware function. Application software consists of the program that details the operations the computer equipment is to perform to achieve the specific objective of the user. If the value recorded on the books and records reflects charges for customer support services such as educational services, maintenance, or application software that relate to future periods and not to the value of the tangible personal property, the charges may be deducted as nonassessable intangible personal property (to the extent that a separate charge or value can be identified). This is further discussed in 50 IAC 4.2-4-3(f) and (g).

Special tooling includes, but is not limited to, tools, dies, jigs, fixtures, gauges, molds, and patterns acquired or made for the production of products or product models which are of such specialized nature that their utility generally ceases with the modification or discontinuance of such products or product models. It is not the machine used to manufacture the product.

They are reported on Form 103-T. (State Form #22667) The total cost of acquisitions since the last assessment date is valued at 30% of cost. The total cost of acquisitions prior to the last assessment date is valued at 3% of cost. The total value is carried to Line 60 of Form 103-Long. They are not subject to the 30% floor computation.

50 IAC 4.2-9-3(a) defines “abnormal obsolescence” as meaning that obsolescence which occurs as a result of factors over which the taxpayer has no control and is unanticipated, unexpected, and cannot reasonably be foreseen by a prudent businessperson prior to the occurrence. It is of a nonrecurring nature and includes unforeseen changes in market values, exceptional technological obsolescence, or destruction by catastrophe that has a direct effect upon the value of the personal property of the taxpayer at the tax situs in question on a going concern basis. It is important to understand that functional obsolescence and external/economic obsolescence are market value concepts while normal obsolescence and abnormal obsolescence are concepts used in Indiana’s true tax value system. These two concepts of obsolescence have entirely different functions and should not be intermingled. Please refer to the following memos for further detail: http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/090821_-_Wood_Memo_- _Abnormal_Obsolescence_and_Personal_Property_Assessments.pdf and http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/110418_-_Wood_Memo_-_Abnormal_Obsolescence_FAQs.pdf

The personal property rule has a section (50 IAC 4.2-8) on leased equipment. Leased equipment is defined as being either a capital or operating lease. A “capital lease” is defined as lease in which title (ownership) to the asset will transfer at or before the end of the lease to the lessee. These types of leases contain a purchase option and title can transfer at the end of the lease. These can include a sales type lease, direct financing lease, and leveraged leases. An “operating lease” is typically a short-term lease in which the leased equipment will remain the property of the leasing company at the end of the lease. Based upon the information included in the question, this would be a “capital” lease. In the case of a capital lease, the lessee/possessor of the leased equipment is the party responsible for reporting and paying the property taxes. These leased CNC machines should be reported in the pools on your Form 103. In addition, you will need to complete Form 103-N, Schedule II. The leasing company will complete Form 103-O, Schedule II, which will disclose that the owned leased equipment is a capital lease to be assessed to the person in possession of the property (in this case, the tool and die business). Proper disclosure of the lease agreement on the Form 103-N and Form 103-O will lessen the possibility of a double assessment occurring.

The personal property rule has a section (50 IAC 4.2-8) on leased equipment. Leased equipment is defined as being either a capital or operating lease. A “capital lease” is defined as lease in which title (ownership) to the asset will transfer at or before the end of the lease to the lessee. These types of leases contain a purchase option and title can transfer at the end of the lease. These can include a sales type lease, direct financing lease, and leveraged leases. An “operating lease” is typically a short-term lease in which the leased equipment will remain the property of the leasing company at the end of the lease. Based upon the information included in the question, this would meet the definition of an “operating” lease since the lease term is one (1) year. In the case of an operating lease, the lessor/leasing company that leases the equipment is the party responsible for reporting and paying the property taxes. The leasing company will report this leased equipment in the pools using the Form 103. In addition, the leasing company will file Form 103-O, Schedule 1. The accounting business (lessee) will need to complete Form 103-N, Schedule I. The purpose of filing the Form 103-N is to disclose that you are in possession of these two leased items and that the leasing company/lessor is the owner of this equipment.

The Department’s rules state that the person in possession of the personal property is liable for the taxes on the property unless he establishes that the property is being assessed and taxed in the name of the owner, or the owner is liable for the taxes under a contract with that person and that person files a correct Form 103-N If the person in possession refuses to establish this, the assessor could estimate the value of the personal property and place that assessment on the person in possession. (See 50 IAC 4.2-2-4 for more information on this topic.)

Yes, you can appeal this change in assessment to the county property tax assessment board of appeals (PTABOA). This notice of appeal must be filed not later than forty-five (45) days after the date of the Form 113/PP with the township assessor (if any) or the county assessor. Instructions for completing this notice of appeal can be found at the top of the Form 113/PP.

If the taxpayer’s personal property return for a particular year substantially complies with the applicable laws and regulations, an assessing official or a county property tax assessment board of appeals (PTABOA) may change the assessed value claimed by the taxpayer on the return only within the time period prescribed in IC 6-1.1-16-1, meaning a township assessor has until September 15 or four months after the return is filed (whichever is later) and the county assessor or the PTABOA has until October 30 or five months after the return is filed to make a change to an assessment without conducting a full audit. Otherwise, if a taxpayer files a personal property return for a particular year, personal property which is omitted from or undervalued on the return may be assessed, or its assessed value may be increased, only if proper notice is given within three years after the date the return is filed. If a taxpayer fails to file a personal property return for a particular year, the taxpayer’s personal property may be assessed for that year only if proper notice is given within ten years after the date on which the return for that year should have been filed. These time limitations would apply to the review function of the PTABOA, but not the appeal function under IC 6-1.1-15.

Yes. The fully depreciated assets that have been written off that you are still in possession of are required to be reported on the personal property return. It is important to understand that being fully depreciated relates to expenses for federal income tax purposes, while Indiana’s personal property tax system is an ad valorem tax which remains in place while the asset is used in the production of income. This is further explained in 50 IAC 4.2-4-3.

Yes. When machinery and equipment has been removed from service and is awaiting disposal on the assessment date, it is valued as “permanently retired equipment” pursuant to 50 IAC 4.2-4- Page 11 of 12 3(d). This property would be reported on the Form 103-Long, line 61, at its net scrap or net sale value. In reporting this equipment, you should also file a Form 106 explaining this adjustment.

Yes, the cost of the production line needs to be reported on the Form 103-Long. A further explanation can be found in 50 IAC 4.2-6-1. Personal property not placed in service is defined as property which has not been depreciated and is not eligible for federal income tax depreciation. Construction in Process (CIP) is an example of equipment not placed in service. It is physically there on the assessment date, but is not completely assembled and functioning. The True Tax Value of this equipment would be ten percent (10%) of the cost of the qualified placed in service. This would be disclosed on line 59 of the Form 103-Long.

Yes, the annual filing of a personal property tax return is still required. Indiana law states that the property is subject to taxation until the entity follows the statutory procedures for obtaining the exemption. Basically this means that the entity files a personal property tax return to assess the property and then it files the exemption application as required to claim an exemption on the assessment. The county property tax assessment board of appeals (PTABOA) then reviews the exemption each year to determine if the property’s use qualifies it for a full or partial exemption or no exemption at all.

Basically, the gross assessed value less any deductions equals the net assessed value, which is multiplied by the tax rate for every one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation, which equals an amount due. Then the gross assessed value is multiplied by the cap rate of three percent (3%) to arrive at an amount due. The actual tax liability is the lesser of these two numbers.

Yes, it is possible. The question is very case specific and would be based on the assessed value, the size of the abatement deduction, and the tax rate for that taxing district.

Please contact your assessment division field representative or Barry Wood at (317) 232-3762 or bwood@dlgf.in.gov with questions.

Online exemption filing has been tested with the following browsers:

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If you experience problems with any of the above browsers, please make sure to upgrade to the latest version.

• You must be the owner of the property or you are buying it under recorded contract (tenant-shareholders of a coop house corporation, trust holders, shareholders, partners or members of the entity that owns the property are currently not eligible to file online due to additional documentation required)
• Have a valid Indiana driver's license or state ID
• Have a credit card
• Have a valid email address
• Have Acrobat Reader 4.05 or higher  (Acrobat Reader is available for free from the Adobe website)

The Court cannot provide legal advice. For Self-Represented Parties, court forms available at the Self-Service Legal Center.

Consult any papers you received. Contact your Attorney if you are represented. You can also obtain court dates on the Online Docket or from the Clerk of the Court, Phone 219-755-3465.

A motion to continue must be filed with the Clerk before the court date or a party can ask for a continuance at a Hearing. The Court has discretion to grant or deny a continuance.

You can obtain a ruling a motion via the Online Docket or by contacting the Clerk of the Court, Phone: 219-755-3465.

Consult any papers you received. Contact your Attorney if you are represented. You can also track the progress of a case on the Online Docket or by contacting the Clerk of the Court, Phone: 219-755-3465.

Contact your Attorney if you are represented. The results of any hearing will be reflected in the Court’s Chronological Case Summary which can be accesses via the Online Docket or by contacting the Clerk of the Court, Phone: 219-755-3465.

The history report, once processed, should be emailed to the address provided during the intial request. Your request may be denied because of lack of case relationship or payment problem. In either case, you should always receive an email notification. If you do not receive the report within few days, you may check with the Clerk's office on the status of your request by replying to the original confirmation email.

The actual Total Amount is not known until we process your request. You will be preauthorized for the number of years of history requested but you will be charged for the number of years of history actually available. In any case, you will only be charged for what you actually receive.

The Lake County takes security very seriously. Our online order form is secured using a Verisign secure server certificate to protect you and your information.

When you click through to the order pages, you will notice your web-browser shows a padlock icon indicating a secure connection has been established.

This protects you in two ways:

Firstly, any information submitted to our web-site is transmitted through a secure encrypted connection. No one can intercept this information or eavesdrop on it since it is highly encrypted.

From a technical point of view, because the information is encrypted it is more secure than ordering by mail, fax or telephone. All these methods can be intercepted or eavesdropped on easily.

Secondly, the server certificate verifies the validity of the company you are dealing with. VeriSign is an independent company that verifies the credentials of each company before issuing them with a secure server certificate. This is allways the concern when dealing with what seems like an "anonymous" internet company.

Finally, we do not store your credit card number permamently on our computers. The credit card number is stored in temporary storage and is available for subsequent transaction until you close your browser or your session expires due to inactivity.

This is the 3-digit number on the back of your credit or debit card. For American Express cards, use the 4-digit number on the front of the card.

We recommend that you enter this number because your credit card company could decline the transaction if it's missing or incorrect.

At this time, Lake County does not accept electronic checks. This form of payment may become available in the future.

You credit card may be rejected for several reasons. Usually problems such as invalid expiration date are communicated via self-explanatory error message.

If you get address verification message, it ususally means that the billing address provided does not match your credit card company records. It is at merchants discretion to either accept or reject transaction which failed address verification. For your added protection, Lake County chooses to reject transaction which fail address verification.

Here are some of the negative address verification response codes:

• Z - zip code match / locale (city) no match
• A - zip code match / zip+4 match / locale no match
• G - no match at all
• F - zip no match / zip+4 no match / locale match

Billing address defaults to the general address provided on the first registration screen. Make sure to change the billing address to match the address shown on your credit card statement.

Anytime you use a credit card for online purchases, the transaction actually consists of two steps:

• Authorization - verifies that you have enough funds available and places a temporary hold on the funds equal to transaction amount. Depending on your credit card type and/or bank, this hold may remain on the account even if the transaction is declined. This hold may actually appear as a charge on the account until it expires. for example, for debit cards, the account funds may be impacted for 3 days. You may always contact your bank to have the hold removed.
• Charge - processes the actual charge

Many online merchants including Lake County perform additional check to prevent online credit card fraud. This is why your transaction may be declined during Address Verification Service check. This check ensures that the address provided during check out matches the address on your credit card statement. So even if the credit card number and cardholder name is correct and there is enough funds, the transaction may be declined. If this happens, the temporary hold may remain on your account.

Please note that some banks may also lock your account after certain number of unsuccessful attempts.

You should not be alarmed when seeing these temporary holds on your account - they will eventually expire and go away. However, if the charge in question appears on your credit card statement, you should contact us so we can properly investigate your issue.

If you are a Canadian national and received traffic ticket in Lake County, Indiana, you may still pay online using a major credit card. To enter a Canadian address, please select "CN" from the list of states and then use zip code field to enter postal code. Other than that, the process is the same as for American citizens.

If paying by cashier's check or money order, you must use a bank that is associated with a bank in United States.

Points are determined by Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) Their web site address is WWW.in.gov/bmv/

Traffic Misdemeanors, Conservation Citations, Child Restraint Violations, Driving While Suspended as well as some Local Ordanance Violations all require a Court appearance. You will receive a Court Date at the address on your Ticket.  Most other violations can be paid with no Court Appearance needed

Depending on division the ticket is assigned to, tickets may be paid online as follows

 

Division	If paying before Court Date, online payment is allowed...	If paying after Court Date, online payment is allowed..
1	By 3 p.m. on one business day prior to Court Date	After 3 p.m. on 5th business day after Court Date
2	By 3 p.m. on one business day prior to Court Date	After 3 p.m. on 5th business day after Court Date
3	By 3 p.m. on one business day prior to Court Date	After 3 p.m. on 5th business day after Court Date
4	By 3 p.m. on one business day prior to Court Date	After 3 p.m. on 5th business day after Court Date

For example, if your Court Date falls on Monday, your ticket must be paid by 3 p.m. on Friday. If you missed your Court Date and you are in Division 2, you may pay your ticket after 3 p.m. on the following Monday.

Keep in mind, however, that all Courts will suspend your license for Failure to Pay or Failure to Appear. There will be no grace period unless the Court has granted you "Time to pay". Therefore, it is in your best interest to pay your ticket before the court date.

Finally, you may always come in and pay your traffic ticket in person.

All traffic ticket payments received by 4:00 pm will be posted on thecurrent day. All traffic ticket payments received AFTER 4:00 pm will be posted on the next day. You will receive email order confirmation immediately after your card is charged. You will receive email receipt once your payment is posted which may take up to 24 hrs. If you do not receive an email receipt, please wait at least 24 hrs before contacting the Clerk's office. Currently, the posting process starts at 11 pm each day.

If your case number starts with...	Your Division is...	Your courtroom is...
45D07	1	County Division Room 1 - Crown Point
45D08	2	County Division Room 2 - Crown Point
45D09	3	County Division Room 3 - Crown Point
45D12	4	County Division Room 4 - Hammond

If the Ticket is in a Court Room in Crown Point you may Mail or Fax a copy of your ticket with the correct address included to the Lake County Traffic Clerk 2293 North Main Street Crown Point Indiana 46307 Fax 219-755-3609. If the ticket is in the Hammond Court Room  mail it or fax it to 232 Russell Street Hammond Indiana 46320, Fax  219-933-2805.  No address changes can be done over the phone.  You must also get your drivers license changed with the BMV.

Go to http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/2403.htm to for a list of useful resources that will help you to register to vote.

Lake County provides a search engine to find out the polling place based on your first name, last name and date of birth. Click here to lookup your polling place.

Click here to download a list of candidates for the upcoming election. The documents are in PDF format and may require you to download Adobe PDF Reader (unless you already have one installed).

You can still vote using an absentee ballot. You can find out more and download the appropriate form at http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/2402.htm.

The following individuals may request a certified birth certificate copy: the mother, the father, a sibling, a grandparent, a spouse of the individual or the person born shown in the record. Birth certificates may be obtained in person at our office with proof of identification. Certificate mail requests can be forwarded to the Lake County Health Department, 2900 W. 93rd Avenue, Crown Point, Indiana 46307 and must included the birth name, date of birth, city of birth, parent(s) name(s), copy of identification card, self-addressed stamped return envelope and $10.00 (cash or money order) for each copy requested. Our office does not have birth records for individuals born in Gary or East Chicago. Birth certificates can not be issued for deceased individuals.

If not married - mother and father need to be present together at our office with proof of
identification, $15.00 for application processing and $10.00 for each amended certified
birth certificate copy requested. Paternity applicants must be present together in our office
before 3:00 PM during our normal office hours.

If married - mother and father need to be present together at our office with proof of
identification, a marriage license, $15.00 for application processing and $10.00 for each
amended certified birth certificate copy requested. Paternity applicants must be present
together in our office before 3:00 PM during our normal office hours. Mother should
have her last name changed on her identification card prior to submitting a paternity affidavit.
DNA testing results, completed for joint legal custody, must be submitted to our office within
60 days of the child's birth.

Court Orders establish ing paternity submitted to our office must have original signatures and
a raised seal from the Court on the document.

A paternity can only be established for individuals under the age of 18 years.

In person at our office you must provide proof of association with deceased, your personal
identification (drivers license or State identification card) and $11.00 (cash or money order)
for each certified copy requested. By mail you must send a request to Lake County Health
Department, 2900 W. 93rd Avenue, Crown Point, Indiana 46307. Include name of
deceased, date of death, city where death occurred, your association with the deceased,
copy of your personal identification (drivers license or State identification card) $11.00 (cash
or money order) for each certified copy requested and a self-addressed stamped return
envelope.

Yes, call 219-755-3658 for more information and availability.

Any individual or business selling food in Lake County (except within the corporate limits of the City of Gary or the City of East Chicago) is required to obtain a permit from our Department before beginning operation. Contact our office at 219-755-3655, request to speak with our Food Division to obtain the appropriate applicat ion and details.

Annual food service permits are due for renewal every year beginning January 1st through March 1st. Temporary food service permits need to be purchased ten (10) days prior to the event.

Contact a licensed Lake County On-Site Waste Water System (septic) Installer for an evaluation of the suspected malfunction. All modifications and or repairs to a septic system must receive an approval (permit) from our office prior to installation.

If the results are for your own personal use, contact a licensed laboratory that is certified to conduct drinking water analys is. If the testing is required for a property selling I buying transaction, contact our Environmental Division at 219-755-3655.

Yes, all public or semi-public swimming pools (Annual or Seasonal) must have a valid permit from our office during its operation. Public swimming pool permits must be renewed with our Department annually.

Programs are provided by the Health Educator in schools concerning AIDS, dental care, puberty education, hygiene, nutrition, eating disorders, hand washing and teacher in-services. By request, the Health Educator participates in public health fairs.

Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions like lung or heart disease or diabetes are at higher risk of developing more serious complications from COVID-19 and should seek care as soon as symptoms arrive, Vavilala said.

Go to the ER if you have difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or disorientation, and/or bluish lips or face, and call your primary care physician if you exhibit other concerning symptoms, she added.

Please call the ER ahead of your arrival to receive the correct instructions to ensure your medical safety as well as that of the hospital staff.

It's important for everyone to follow a schedule, even at home, in order to maintain some structure. Try to avoid excessive screen time. It’s OK to watch or read the news to stay updated on the current situation, but avoid watching it all day because doing so can cause undue stress and anxiety.

Call family and friends often and FaceTime or Skype if possible. Stay active by exercising regularly and maintain a healthy sleep schedule. Make sure to enrich your schedule with activities you enjoy or projects you might be passionate about, and clearly communicate with those you share a residence with during an extended period of isolation/quarantine. If you have a psychiatrist or therapist, please contact them for further instructions.

Exercise health safety precautions: Wash your hands frequently; avoid touching the face with unwashed hands; and try to maintain a safe distance of 6 feet from co-workers if possible to avoid droplet transmission.

Lake County receives its national stock pile of emergency supplies, which is distributed to local nursing homes, home health agencies, dialysis centers, police officers and non-hospital employee physicians.

Everyone’s requirements are different, and we determine how to prioritize based on various levels of immediate need and the availability of our supplies. Lake County hospitals receive their own supplies directly from the Indiana State Department of Health in a separate process.

Nurses are fielding and making 400-plus phone calls daily — either by answering COVID-19 questions from the public or calling out to track active and potential cases.

The nurses are also tracking all positive cases and their recent contacts to advise quarantine precautions.

The emergency preparedness team is attending risk management meetings and making sure that emergency supplies reach the departments in need of them.

The county’s food safety department is still inspecting operating drive-thru restaurants and eateries with takeout to keep the food safety. The health department is working in conjunction with the infectious disease divisions of the hospitals, she said.

People with pre-existing conditions should make sure to take their prescribed medications regularly, receive medications by mail and avoid the pharmacy in-person when possible. They should stay active in the house, exercise or be active outdoors if the weather permits. Vavilala said it's OK to postpone regular checkups if the person doesn’t have any active health concerns

Use disinfectant wipes to clean surfaces, and if wipes are not available, diluted bleach.

Clothes should be washed daily with soap and water, but if you are unable to wash clothes daily, they should be placed in a laundry bag and tied and left in a separate bathroom used by the person with symptoms.

A bleach solution can be prepared by mixing 1/3 cup of bleach per one gallon of water or four teaspoons bleach per quart of water.

The spread of the COVID-19 virus must be taken seriously by all members of the community due to its aggressive nature and severe medical consequences. It is vital that each and every one of us follow the advice of health care professionals, health departments and medical institutions. Even if someone only experiences mild symptoms, they may infect high-risk individuals, such as the elderly or immunocompromised persons, whose conditions could become fatal.

We are all responsible for protecting our personal health as well as the health of our fellow community members and should do everything possible to reduce the spread of this infection.

Positive results will be available from testing sites in Merrillville and Gary in approximately 72 hours via phone call. Everyone will receive results in 5-6 working days.

Yes, the LCHD is doing contract tracing for high risk close contacts of confirmed cases.

There is no FDA approved antibody test available in the United States. When an antibody test is approved, we will work with the Indiana State Department of Health to make it available in Lake County.

The CDC now recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public, even if you don’t feel sick. This may help reduce transmission from people who are asymptomatic (people who don’t feel sick but still have an infection). More information: 

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
• Proper Mask Wearing Technique

Social distancing means avoiding close contact with others in order to reduce risk of spreading COVID-19. This includes trying to maintain a distance of 6 feet from others, avoiding social gatherings, avoiding nonessential travel, and practicing hygiene like frequent hand washing and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.

Self-quarantine is for a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case. Self-quarantine means staying home for 14 days and monitoring for symptoms. Check your temperature twice a day and stay away from others in the home who are vulnerable. If there are no symptoms after 14 days, self-quarantine is over.  Information on symptoms of COVID-19 can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

Isolation is for a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. Isolation means staying home and separating from others in the household by staying in a separate bedroom and using a separate bathroom, if possible. Isolation is discontinued after 72 hours without symptoms and at least 7 days since the onset of symptoms.

A close contact is a person who was either within 6 feet of a person confirmed to have COVID-19 for about 10 minutes or more, or had close physical contact with a confirmed case. Close physical contact includes hugging, touching, sharing household items like eating utensils, or being around a sick person coughing.

Click HERE for latest information on COVID testing in Lake County.

The LCHD is accessible by phone weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm. The building is closed to the public. We receive a large number of calls daily and are doing our best to answer them. If you’re unable to reach us quickly, please be patient.

The LCHD Health Officer and staff are working in coordination with the Indiana State Department of Health and infectious disease specialists in local hospitals to closely follow and implement CDC recommendations for the protection of the local community. We are also readying our emergency preparedness team and coordinating with various government and non government agencies.

     *   Nurses and support staff are calling all people who are confirmed COVID-19 positive in order to advise self-quarantine and isolation precautions. Nurses are also contacting their high risk close contacts. Positive individuals are advised to inform all of their close contacts of their risk and advise self-quarantine. Due to the high number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Lake County, our nurses are no longer able to contact all close contacts, but are still contacting those close contacts who are high risk. For more information about who is high risk, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html

     *   The food safety division inspectors are inspecting take-out and drive-through restaurants to ensure adherence to all food safety guidelines. Inspectors also respond to complaints regarding any sit-down restaurants that still operate. Those restaurants will be closed down as sit-down service is in violation of the Governor’s order.

     *   The environmental safety division inspectors are investigating non-essential businesses still operating in Lake County. If it is a clear violation of the Governor’s order, then they can be shut down. As the Governor’s order is updated often and open to interpretation regarding essential businesses, we will work with our legal department for clarification and our legal department will follow up.

     *   Our emergency preparedness directors work in close contact with the District 1 emergency preparedness team, hospitals, and all local emergency teams. POD (point of distribution) sites are located in various parts of Lake County in case of medication or vaccination distribution or other emergency needs. At this time, there is no COVID-19 vaccination.

     *   Vital records (birth and death certificates) are currently processed by mail.

     *   The LCHD receives a supply of PPE (personal protective equipment) from the National Stockpile via the Indiana State Department of Health and distributes it to necessary departments and individuals according to the guidelines. Hospitals, local nursing homes, dialysis centers, home health agencies, police, and physicians who are not employed by a hospital can request PPE including masks, gowns, face shields, and gloves. PPE will be distributed depending on LCHD availability.

1. COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a new Coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. People with COVID-19 sometimes have a cough, fever, feel like it's hard to breathe, or even lose their sense of taste or smell. Other symptoms include congestion or runny nose, diarrhea, headache, nausea or vomiting, muscle pain or fatigue, sore throat or chills. Symptoms range from mild to severe and may appear 2-14 days after exposure. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months as long as they do not develop symptoms again. 
2. Hospitals are nearing capacity due to the increase in positive COVID-19 cases. Emergency rooms are being forced to bypass patients in some cases due to the lack of bed availability in hospitals.

1. If you or a member of your family has been in close contact (within 6 feet for of more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period, even if you are wearing a mask to lower your risk of infection) with someone who has COVID-19, you should quarantine. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others and monitor their health. You should also quarantine if you provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19, had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them), shared eating or drinking utensils or if someone you know with COVID-19 sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you. If you are symptomatic or waiting for a test result, you and other members of your household should quarantine. b. Quarantine can end after 10 days if the person has not developed any symptoms. A test is not required. 
2. Quarantine can end after seven days if the person tests negative for COVID-19 on day five, six or seven of the quarantine and has not developed any symptoms.

No, a negative test is not required. However, at least 10 days should have passed since the symptoms first appeared, and at least 24 hours since the last fever without the use of fever­ reducing medications and COVID-19 symptoms have improved to end the isolation.

Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year. Limit gatherings to people living in the household. If you are having guests to your home, be sure that people are wearing masks and staying 6 feet apart.

Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA. A limited supply of the approved vaccines are currently being administered to health care personnel that have direct patient contact and at long-term care facilities. The ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) has developed an allocation prioritization list dependent on individual risk factors. When vaccine is available (tentatively mid-January) the Lake County Health Department along with other partners will start vaccinating community members based on CDC/ACIP recommendations. Further infonnation on vaccination locations and times will be posted on the Lake County Health Department's website and other multi-media sources when this information becomes available.

1. Please visit https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine/index.htm for more information. 
2. The Lake County Health Department is seeking volunteers to assist with vaccinating and registering at vaccination sites. Please contact Sandy Smoljan at smoljsl@lakecountyin.org

The Constitution of the United States and the State of Indiana guarantee defendants in criminal cases and litigants in civil cases the right to a trial by jury. Indiana law states that all litigants have the right to juries selected from a fair cross section of the community and that all eligible citizens shall have both the opportunity and obligation to serve.

The most common complaint of jurors everywhere the seemingly endless waiting. The time you spend waiting is being used by the judge and attorneys to resolve cases. Many cases are resolved once the parties realize that potential jurors are in the building. The staff of the Court Administrator's Office will do their best to keep you well informed. Your attendance is crucial to our judicial process and is greatly appreciated.

Prospective jurors are randomly selected from a combined list including Department of Revenue and Bureau of Motor Vehicles information. Throughout the year, prospective jurors are selected randomly and sent a juror qualification questionnaire. This questionnaire must be completed by the prospective juror. Those individuals who "qualify" for service - a US citizen and county resident; at least 18 years of age; who are able to understand and communicate in English; are not suffering from a physical or mental disability or under a guardianship because of mental incapacity; have not had their rights revoked due a felony conviction and are not a law enforcement officer (criminal trials only) must report for service as summoned.

On July 1, 2006, juror exemptions were eliminated statewide. This means that no automatic exemptions are available by statute. All jurors must respond to the court as to why they cannot serve and the determination as to defer a juror's service now falls completely on the Court.

Any Juror who fails to report may be called in on an Order to Show Cause to explain their absence. Any failure to report may find you in contempt of court, which is punishable by up to 3 days in jail or $100.

The jury rules do allow for a deferment of your service. The request must be made in writing through our online deferment/excuse forms available at http://ijuror.lakecountyin.org or  faxed or emailed or via your appearance in person. The fax number is (219) 755-3004. The email address is JURYDUTY@LAKECOUNTYIN.ORG  Only one postponement will be granted, normally for a period of 2 weeks to 6 months. 

• Matters of Conscience/Religious Convictions: Any request to be excused based on matters of conscience will be handled during jury selection and determined by the judge and attorneys.
• Request from Employer: The Office of the Court Administrator may not accept any request for deferral from an employer.
• Work Related Excuse: A work related excuse is not a valid reason for postponement.
• Full Time Student: As there are no exemptions, students must select an alternate date to serve during school recess.
• Transportation and Childcare issues are not acceptable reasons for deferral.

 

The Indiana Supreme Court recently implemented a policy to reduce the length of service to the shortest possible term.

A person who appears for service as a petit juror services until the conclusion of the first trial in which the juror is sworn, regardless of the length of the trial or the manner in which the trial is disposed. A person who appears for service but is not selected and sworn as a juror completes their service when jury selection is completed and they are released by the court.

Some trials may last longer than three days. The judge or attorneys will inform the prospective jurors of the expected length of the trial.

As a general rule, jurors go home at the end of the day and return the next morning. There are occasions on which the court will be required to "sequester" a jury on a criminal case during deliberations. In extremely rare instances, a jury may be sequestered during the trial itself. "Sequestered" means that jurors do not go home at the end of the day, but stay in a hotel, where their access to other people and to radio and television news or newspapers is limited. The judge or bailiff will inform you in advance if there is a possibility that the jury may be sequestered.

The expense of all meals and lodging for sequestered jurors is the responsibility of the Lake Superior Court.

Pursuant to Lake County policy and Indiana State Law, the county will pay jurors a fee of $20 for appearing for selection and $40 for each day of physical attendance on a trial.

Lake County provides .40 cents per mile for each round trip made to the juror’s court location as reimbursement for transportation costs. There is no need to keep track of your mileage.

Indiana State law prohibits an employer from subjecting an employee to penalties or termination of employment due to jury service- so long as the employee notifies the employer upon receipt of the jury summons. The question of salary and wages is a matter to be addressed between the juror and the employer.

In order to verify to an employer that jury service was performed, jurors may request that court staff provide them with an attendance/work slip.

Jurors who believe that they have been penalized by their employer due to jury service should contact the Office of the Indiana Attorney General.

Yes. In many cases, parties seek to settle their differences to avoid the expense and time demanded by a trial. Thus, while several trials may be scheduled for one particular day, the court cannot be certain until that morning, and sometimes afternoon, which cases will actually require a trial and a jury.

Even if not selected to serve on a jury, the juror's role is vital. Many times, it is the very presence of a jury-which signifies the trial process and an uncertain outcome-that encourages parties to resolve issues, reach a settlement, or enter a plea.

Prior to 2005, jurors had the right to defer their service if they had served in the previous year. As of January 1, 2005, jurors can request a deferral if they have served (received payment for) jury service with in the past two years.

No. The same jurors are not automatically summoned every few years. The random selection process assures a fair and impartial juror selection process.

Yes. The Jury Administrator needs the most current information available to determine qualifications of each potential juror.

Jurors very often have to wait while important pretrial activities take place before they are assigned to a particular jury panel. Reporting jurors are encouraged to bring along books or newspapers to read during breaks. Cell phones are not permitted in the Courts Building in Crown Point or East Chicago. However, once the jury selection or trial begins, reading materials and the like are not permitted unless authorized by the trial judge.

If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to allow you to serve, the court will try to provide the services or auxiliary aids that you need. The kinds of auxiliary aids that are generally available include assistive listening devices, and sign language interpreters.

Any access questions or requests for assistance can be conveyed to the Jury Administrator, Bailiff or Judge in the courtroom where you are assigned.

A number of people will be in the courtroom in addition to the judge and jury. The list below explains who they are and what they may be doing.

Plaintiff - In a civil case, the plaintiff is the party who initiates the lawsuit by bringing the case to court.

Defendant - In a civil matter, the defendant is the party who is being sued. In a criminal case, the defendant is a person who has been charged with a crime.

Attorneys or Counsel - In certain cases, including criminal cases, attorneys representing the plaintiff, the defendant or the government are referred to as counsel. An attorney representing the government in a criminal case is called the prosecuting attorney.

Court Reporter - The court reporter records the official record of the trial by recording every word which is spoken. This record will be converted into an official transcript of the trial. 

Court Security Officer - The court security officer keeps order, maintains the security of the court, and assists the judge and the jury as needed.

Witnesses - Witnesses provide testimony, under oath, as to what they have seen, heard or otherwise observed regarding the case.

Interpreter - Interpreters, under oath, provide language interpretation for the court on behalf of a non-English speaking or hearing impaired party or witness.

Spectators - Spectators are members of the public who are generally permitted to observe court proceedings. Often spectators include representatives of the media.

We allow cancellation up to 30 days in advance of reservation. If less than 30 days, cancellation is allowed on case by case basis

• Security is required if money is exchanged or if alcohol is served
• Security is provided by the Lake County Sheriff Department @ $25/hr/officer payable directly to the officer at the time of event
• Currently, Fairgrounds Superintendent makes all security arrangements and determines the number of officers needed
• Customer does not need to do anything during the online registration with the exception of providing the hours security is needed 

This feature is provided as courtesy to others and to prevent overbooking. If you close down the browser in the middle of transaction, the date range selected will remain locked for the full 15 minutes. If you cancel the reservation in progress using the Cancel or Back button, the date range selected becomes immediately available for re-selection.

1. Setup day before first event date is included (no setup fee is charged) if done between 2 pm and 9 pm. Otherwise, setup fee is charged
2. Setup fee is always charged with multiple setup days
3. Teardown day(s) always incurs a charge equal to setup rate

1. Setup - any event preparations take place; customer is charged flat set up fee per each day between setup date and event start date (a single day prior to event start is included if between 2pm and 9pm or 14 and 21 in military time)
2. Event start - start of the event; customer is charged flat fee per each day between event start and event end dates
3. Event end - end of the event
4. Tear down - any event clean up and disassembly take place; customer is charged flat setup fee per each day between event end and tear down dates

Total rental fee is a sum of:

1. Rental Fee
2. Deposit Fee (this fee is refundable; see rental agreement for details)
3. Setup + Tear down Fee
4. Amenity Fee
5. Transaction Fee (2.45% of rental fee or $1.49 whichever is greater)

If you did not receive your confirmation email within 5-20 minutes of submitting your reservation, please check your Spam mailbox. If you still cannot locate the confirmation email, you may reprint these documents. Simply login to your reserve.lakecountyin.org account, select the reservation from the list and click Rental Agreement button. Receipt is available by clicking the Receipts tab and then clicking the PDF icon next to the receipt listed.

Per rental agreement, all customers are required to return building to moved in condition in order to receive clean-up deposit. Clean-up deposit is refunded using a mailed check within 2 weeks after event end. If you don't receive a refund check after 2 weeks, please contact the Fairgrounds office.

The entire security deposit is refunded or nothing at all (no partial refunds)

All business events and certain event types (such as weddings) require certificate of insurance to be provided during the online reservation process.

For public events, alcohol may be served but will require a certified server, certificate of insurance, and a temporary beer and wine permit (must be provided to Fairgrounds staff upon request).

For hard liquor or full bar service, and INDIANA licensed caterer must provide and serve the alcohol.

More information can be found here: https://www.in.gov/atc/2409.htm

Language for the digital signage (included with each business or organizational event online reservation)

On the website front page, click the Facilities button. There is a Rental Rates button for each facility listed. Rate is determined by the customer type and residential status.

Customer type is provided during the sign up process:

• Type 1: Indiana non-profit corporation (proof required)
• Type 2: 501c non-profit organization (proof required)
• Type 3: City of Crown Point or its affiliate (proof required)
• Type 4: Lake County government agency (proof required)
• Type 5: Individual or corporation

Certain facilities may be reserved in groups (for example, 4H Building + Shelter #1). Facility groups are listed as options during the reservation process. If combination of facilities you are interested in is not listed, you will have to reserved then individually.

No, you may only reserve for a single date range in a single transaction. You may, of course, submit multiple transactions OR if you wish to pre-pay for multiple events using cash, single check or single credit card charge, please contact the Fairgrounds office.

If you plan on serving food during your public event, you must obtain a temporary food permit from Lake County Health Dept. Such permit must be obtained directly from the Lake County Health Dept and must be submitted at least 10 days before event. Food permit must be provided to Fairgrounds staff upon request.

If during the online reservation you designate your event as "Charge for Door Entry", there will be a door fee of $0.50/person payable after the event. This fee must be paid within 30 days of the event.

This fee is NOT based on Estimated Attendance provided during online reservation. This fee will be calculated based on the actual attendance.

Amenities will vary by facility and must be approved separately by the Fairgrounds Superintendent. Fees are as follows:

Amenity	Fee Per Day
Stage (size)	$100 to $150
4H sound system	$50
Industrial building PA system	$50
Portabl 100-amp electrical service	$50
*Self-contained (primitive) camping (no electric)	$15
**Self-contained (primitive) camping (with electric)	$25
Electric (per hook-up)	$5
Notes to table: *Only allowed with certain events and collected by Lessee **Arrangements for special electric hookups must be made through the Superintendent's office for a qualified electrician, any costs to be paid by Lessee

For best user experience, please use the latest versions of Chrome or Firefox browsers. We are currently working on providing better support for all browser types but, currently, you may get mixed results with Internet Explorer, Edge and Safari.

These may be the reasons why Parcel Number is being rejected:

1. The Parcel Number you entered is invalid
2. The address you entered is invalid
3. The property is too new to be registered in the County property tax management system
4. The property is located in incorporated part of the County. It must end with one of the following: "001", "002", "007", "012", "013", "016", "028", "032", "037", "041", "044", "055"

Use Property Lookup tool to retrieve correct Parcel Number using Owner Name, Property Address or Property Key.

You will need to pay the online Application Filing Fee ($3.50) with a credit card but the Permit Fee can be paid with cash or check. If you want to pay the Permit Fee with cash or check, you will have to visit the Building Department in person. Please ensure that your request is in PaymentPending state before visiting the Building Department.
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The $3.50 Filing Fee was approved via County Ordinance to cover the cost of maintaining the online building application filing system. Portion of this fee ($0.50) is collected by the payment gateway vendor.

Currently, electronic checks (e-checks) are not accepted.

The online transaction fee collected in addition to the Permit fee is:

1. 2.5% of the Permit Fee, or
2. $1.49 - which ever one is greater

The transaction fee is collected by the payment gateway vendor.

Only Lake County licensed contractors in good standing will be listed. If particular contractor is not found in the search, it usually means that they:

1. Did not renew their license, and/or
2. Did not update their Insurance, and/or
3. Did not update their Bond

You will not be able to file online (or in person) unless a contractor you use is in good standing.

Yes, you may apply online of you perform the work yourself. Yo will need to check the box(es) next to appropriate work type(s) on the online form and upload the Owner Affidavit.

NOTE: Single notarized Owner Affidavit document must be uploaded AFTER you submit the form. Simply click Manage Attachments for the request in question and then upload "Owners Permit Affidavit" required attachment.

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Once you upload a document, you may no longer replace it. Use the "Ask Question" option to request assistance with document replacements.

This may happen when your are using a general contractor for a specialty trade. For example, you may be using a a general contractor to do your insulation but the contractor may not be designated as an insulation contractor. In such case, use the "Additional Contractor License #" field and search for the contractor by switching the license type drop down.
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Currently, you may request Survey Approval letter by contacting the Survey Department via email by clicking HERE.

The construction agreement form will need to be filled out for all new site plans. This form should be turned in with the survey at time of application.
For the foundation & as-built, all they need is their survey & permit number with information for return if other than the e-mail the request came in on.

A public defender is an attorney, who represents people charged with criminal offenses who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. Like any other attorney, a public defender has graduated from an ABA accredited law school, has passed the Indiana bar exam, and has a license to practice law. Public defenders are trained carefully through training programs and are required to complete continuing legal education classes each year. In addition, they attend local and national conferences to keep themselves current in the law and to sharpen their trial skills.

The Public Defender's Office may only handle Felony Criminal Cases charged in Lake County Indiana, as well as Appeals cases that arise out of Lake County.

If a person is determined financially unable to retain a private attorney, the courts will appoint the Lake County Public Defender's Office as the legal representative. This appointment usually happens at the first court appearance which is called an Initial Hearing.

Under the United States Constitution and Indiana Constitution, we have an adversarial justice system. This means that one lawyer represents the State, another represents the accused. A fair adversarial system requires that the accused and the prosecution have attorneys with equal resources available to them in order to achieve both truth and justice in the courts. Accordingly, under the law as set forth in the United States Constitution, anyone charged with any serious criminal offense in the United States is entitled to have a lawyer representing them whether that person can afford a lawyer or not.

If you are arrested, you should request to speak to a lawyer and you should obtain advice from a lawyer before answering police questions. If you ask to speak to a lawyer, a lawyer will be provided for you – wait and speak to that lawyer before answering questions.

It takes time, sometimes several months, for a case to move through the courts. During that time, you can do many things to assist your attorney in working on your case. These include:

• Be on time for court and other legal appointments. If you are delayed for any reason, call your attorney.
• Provide current contact information. Give your attorney your home and work addresses, your home, work, mobile, and message phone numbers, and let your attorney know immediately if any of these change.
• Maintain regular contact with your attorney.
• Dress appropriately for court.
• Give your attorney a list of possible witnesses.
• Give your attorney copies of all relevant documents.
• Do not discuss your case with anyone other than your attorney or our office staff. Since anything you say may be used against you in trial, you should not discuss the case with family members, friends, other inmates, detention officers, probation officers, in person or on the telephone.

Remember that all personal telephone and Telemate calls made from the jail are recorded. The Prosecutor sends these recordings out to be reviewed for any information that may pertain to your case. Also, the Prosecutor has the ability to watch these recordings at any time. Any information contains in these calls can be used in your trial. 

You must appear in court for all your court hearings unless told otherwise by the judge or your lawyer. It can take several months for a case to move through the court system. During that time, it is important for you to keep in touch with your lawyer and to make all court appearances until your lawyer tells you that your case is over.

It appears that the state does not forward the information regarding a person's Class 6 designation from a felony to misdemeanor to anyone. This means that when background checks are done, the charges are still showing as felonies.

Federal tax liens are often filed here. But credit Bureaus frequently and incorrectly report that state tax liens are filed in the Lake County Recorder?s Office. This office does not hold those records. The best source of information regarding your state tax liens is the Department of Revenue at 317-232-2240. The Department of Revenue can also be contacted online at www.in.gov/dor. State tax liens are usually filed with the Clerk?s Office (755-3463).

The Lake County Recorder?s Office is located on the second floor of the Admin- istrative Building of the Lake County Government Center, in Room A-206. The Recorder?s Office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

The Recorder?s Office is a state constitutional office and as such, fees charged by the Recorder?s Office (such as the $1 per page cost of copies) are established under Indiana Code 36-2-11. Recording requirements are set by Indiana Code 36-2-11.

The deed to your home or property is a public record available in the Recorder?s Office. In many cases, it costs $2 or less to obtain a copy of your deed from the Recorder?s Office. To obtain your deed, you will need to provide the owner?s name, the property?s legal description and approximate date of purchase. Deeds can sometimes be located by address. Beware of any solicitations that want you to pay more than $2.00 for a copy.

The Lake County Recorder?s Office provides blank copies of the Certificate of Assumed Business Name form in hard copy and for download that you may fill out and return. Because of the legal specificity other instruments require, no other forms or templates are provided

The Recorder?s Office is committed to providing excellent customer service. However, we are also concerned about making sure customers have a complete picture when looking for liens or other claims against property. All records, which have been recorded in Lake County, are open and available for review by you in the Recorder?s Office. Please be aware that court judgments, state tax liens, and bankruptcies are among the claims against property that are NOT necessarily filed with the Recorder?s Office.

The Recorder?s Office staff is happy to review documents in advance to check for missing recording requirements. However, we cannot answer legal questions or review aspects of the document beyond its compliance with recording requirements.

Copies of marriage licenses are available in the Clerk?s Office (755-3440). Birth Certificates for persons born in East Chicago or Gary are available in their respective City Health Departments. For all others born in Lake County, the birth certificates are available through the Vital Records Division of the Lake County Health Department. They can be reached by telephone at 219-755-3655 and also at www.lakecountyin.org.

No, not at this time. However, we plan to have it available soon.

The Recorder?s Office currently accepts payments for recording and copies by cash or check. Corporate ACH accounts for recording and copying are available.

You may dissolve an assumed business name by filing another Certificate of Assumed Business Name and inserting ?Dissolution of? at the top of the page. The cost is $12.00.

In accordance with Indiana Code (IC) 36-2-11-15, most documents submitted to the Recorder?s Office must contain the affirmation statement. Exceptions include an instrument executed before July 1, 1959, or recorded before July 26, 1967, a judgment, order, or writ of court; a will or death certificate, an instrument executed or acknowledged outside of Indiana; or federal liens on real property or a federal tax lien on personal property as described in IC 36-2-11-25.

This is a legal question. You should consult an attorney regarding the necessary steps regarding a notice of tort claim. An attorney can advise you where and when a notice of tort claim must be filed

Consult an attorney to make certain you are executing a deed or instrument which transfers the property rights and interests you wish to transfer.

In order to record a properly prepared deed or instrument, it must first have been submitted to the Lake County Assessor?s Office and Auditor?s Office. The Assessor and Auditor may require a sales disclosure form be filed which may be acquired at the Auditor?s Office or online through the Auditor?s website.

Restrictive covenants are filed with the Recorder?s Office. Covenants can exist either as separate documents or as part of the original plat of the subdivision. On rare occasions, neighborhood associations also record their bylaws.

Covenants and restrictions will be available for review online in the near future.

You are required under IC 23-15-1-1 to file a fictitious business name statement for a variety of different reasons. This document, known as a Certificate of Assumed Business Name, should be filed in the Recorder?s Office in the county in which you are doing business. The form is available online by visiting the downloads page.

Yes, for future additions to property and for review.

Discharge records are confidential and not a public record. Only those listed under IC 10-17-2-4 can get a copy. Due to confidentiality and the requirement of showing a photo ID, it is necessary to come to the Recorder?s Office in person. These requirements protect the integrity of the discharge records.

• Docket Admin. and Office Manager - 881.6146
• Bailiff -881.6147
• Court Reporter -881.6148
• Teleconferences (after all parties are on the line) - 881.6147 or 881.6148

Note:  Room Four does not use CourtCall

As members of the community utilizing the Lake County Superior Court, Juvenile Division, it is expected and required that you and your child appear in court in appropriate attire. 

As the courtroom is not a casual environment, it is expected that all parents/legal guardians present their children and themselves to the Court in compliance with the following guidelines to insure the professional integrity of the court and judicial process.

UNACCEPTABLE CLOTHING:

SHORTS OF ANY KIND (cut-off or other), T-SHIRTS, TANK or HALTER TOPS, sweat shirts, torn clothing (this includes clothing purchased with tears already in them), mini-skirts, untied shoe laces, bathing or body suits.

It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to insure the clothing worn by their children and themselves reflects the proper level of respect due the Lake County Superior Court.

Failure to comply with the expected dress code could result in the continuance of your case and in some instances may result in the child’s detention during the continuance period.

The Lake County Juvenile Justice Complex is conveniently located 1 ½ miles South of the intersection of US 30 and Taft, on 93rd Avenue, just North of the Lake County Government Complex.

Both Google maps and MapQuest (accessible via internet) are good resources which take road conditions into consideration.

A bench warrant may have been issued for your failure to appear. Call the court for information on what to do.

Contact your Probation Officer or Case Manager as soon as possible to advise them. If circumstances warrant, they may request a continuance on your behalf.

You will need to submit a written request for a continuance.  Follow the instructions below.  A continuance is discretionary with the Court.  Please state the specific reason(s) you are unable to appear.

Follow the instructions for filing a Motion for Continuance at the State’s Self-Service Legal Center, www.in.gov/judiciary/selfservice/2336.htm.  You will need an original and three copies of your Motion and CCS Entry Form, plus two postage pre-paid envelopes, one self-addressed and one with certified mailing for opposing party or their counsel.

You cannot call or e-mail the Judge or Magistrate to discuss your case. The only time a person or party, including the Department of Child Services or the Prosecutor, can discuss a case with a Judicial Officer is in Open Court on the Record during a hearing.

Please see IV-D Paternity tab for instructions and a list of useful Resources.

Paternity must be established by Court Order or a Paternity Affidavit signed by the father to have a right to parenting time. Please see the IV-D Paternity tab for instructions on how to file paternity and the Resource List for Self-Represented Litigants for useful websites.

See the Juvenile Detention tab for Rules for Visitation

No. The Juvenile Court does not sponsor a “Scared Straight Program.”

No. The Probation Department is designed to handle cases that have been officially referred to the court. Community resources are available to assist with questions regarding children’s behavior. Such resources are: The Crisis Center (219) 938-7070, Geminus Corporation Hotline (219) 757-1868 and Mental Health America (219) 736-4955.

Yes, all Administrative Fees, Probation User Fees and Restitution fees can be paid at www.govpaynow.com.

A contempt citation will be filed against the child’s parent/guardian and the case will be set for a citation hearing.  If the fees are paid prior to the hearing, your case will be closed and your presence will not be necessary.  Administrative Fees, Probation User Fees and Restitution Fees can be paid via Money Order or on-line at www.govpaynow.com.

Lake County residents interested in volunteering will need to complete two (2) applications (preliminary and final), undergo a background check, participate in an interview with a CASA staff member and complete 30 hours of training before being assigned a case.

• CASA volunteer applicants must be at least 21 years old.
• Applicants must have a High School Diploma or a GED certificate.
• Applicants must pass a criminal background check.

CASA volunteers conduct home visits in order to collect information regarding children involved in CHINS proceedings. CASA volunteers attend court hearings and make recommendations to the court regarding placements of the represented children, permanency plans, medical and educational needs. CASA volunteers maintain contact with school officials, therapists, and anyone who is involved in the lives of abused and neglected children

An average case load is 2-3 cases.

The Lake County CASA program usually offers s training 2 times a year (Spring and Fall). The training consists of 5-6 weeks of evening sessions, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for a total of 30 hours.

There are many times when you can sue in Small Claims Court. The following list contains some examples.

(a) Personal Injury, six thousand dollars ($6,000) or less.
(b) Damage to personal property or real property.
(c) Actions between a landlord and tenant.

As you might have guessed from the above examples, by Indiana Law, Small Claims are currently limited to cases where the amount sought to be recovered is six thousand dollars ($6,000) or less. From time to time the Indiana Legislature changes this upper limit on small claims cases and you should check with the clerk if you have a claim which might exceed this amount. The filing fee to file a small claims case in Lake County, Indiana is currently $70.00. There is a $10.00 fee for each additional Defendant. There is also a Plenary Docket in Small Claims Court which allows a person or Corporation to sue for up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) in Small Claims on a civil case based on a contract or tort if damages do not exceed $10,000.00. Possesory actions between a landlord and tenant where the property sought to be recovered does not exceed $10,000.00 can be filed on both dockets. However, the Rules of Evidence do apply when a case is filed on the Plenary Docket and the informal aspects of Small Claims Court no long apply. The filing fee to file a case on the Plenary Docket is currently $130.00.

Continuances (postponements) will only be granted to either party in a case, if good cause is shown, in writing, at least five (5) days prior to a scheduled hearing. Requests for a continuance made less than five (5) days prior to the hearing will only be granted if an emergency situation is present. Except in unusual circumstances, no party shall be allowed more than one (1) continuance in any case and each continuance must be specifically approved by the Judge. Notice of the continuance and the new date and time of the trial/hearing will be provided to all parties. Parties should appear at all hearings or trials unless specifically told by the Judges staff that the matter has been continued.

The Indiana Rules for Small Claims and most legal procedures can be found at your local library. The Indiana Rules for Small Claims can also be accessed On-line at http://www.in.gov/judiciary/rules/small_claims/index.html.

If you have an original warrant, you will need to surrender yourself to the Lake County Sheriff and post your bond. If you cannot post the bond set for the original warrant, you can come to court on Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning, at 8:45 a.m. There is a chance your bond may be lowered to an amount you can post but there is also a chance you will have to post the same amount. Either way, you will have to go through the booking process at the Lake County Jail before you are released. If you have a bench warrant for failing to appear in court, you may come into court on Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning at 8:45 a.m. and go before the Court to have the warrant recalled.

You may call the office and be added onto our Wednesday afternoon court call which begins at 1:30 p.m.

Call the office and request a continuance. You may be asked to write a letter to the Court.

You may have someone else appear on your behalf but only to advise the Court of your whereabouts. This, however is usually only allowed on one occasion, if there was some sort of an emergency preventing you from appearing. The case will NOT be able to be disposed of without your personal appearance.

Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30AM - 4:00PM

No. Probation is a privilege and not a right.

Permanently.

If requesting a validated receipt, a self-addressed stamped envelope must be enclosed with the payment.  Return both copies of the installment with your payment.  Receipt not valid unless stamped paid and actual transfer of funds has been completed. Or use your returned check as your receipt.

Make check payable to "Lake County Treasurer".  Please write your property number on your check.  Enclose your installment copy with payment.  Payment by mail is only considered on time only if postmarked by the US Postal Service on or before the due date and properly addressed to the "Lake County Treasurer".

Bring the entire bill and your payment to the Treasurer's Office.

Payment Locations:

Lake County Treasurer 2293 North Main Street Crown Point, IN 46307 (219) 755-3760

Lake County Treasurer 11 East 4th Street Gary, IN 46402 (219) 881-6300

Lake County Treasurer 232 Russell Street Hammond, IN 46320 (219) 933-2900

 

 

 

 

 

Based on the March 1st ownership year, taxes are due and payable the following year in two installments.  Tax bills are mailed once a year; both the 1st and 2nd installment tax bill payment stubs are included.  Due dates are on each installment statement. Taxes not paid on or before the due date receive a 10% penalty.  Propety with a total tax bill of $25.00 or less will be billed the total due on the 1st installment.