Committee approves adding judicial officers for Hamilton County after caseload review

The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee voted to pass House Bill 1144, a bill adding judicial officers to Hamilton County in response to the county’s caseload and population growth.

Representative presenting the bill said the interim Courts and Judiciary Committee reviewed requests for new courts and that the Indiana Supreme Court’s caseload summary informed recommendations. “Hamilton County is number 1 on the needs list, and so this bill adds four full time judicial officers, two magistrates, two electeds to take office in ’27, at the pace of the Hamilton County’s growth,” the presenter told the committee.

Committee members discussed that the interim committee had recommended both additions and potential reallocations — including examining counties that may have more judges than current need — with the goal of net-neutral adjustments across the state. No public witnesses were signed up to testify against the measure.

Following a brief discussion, the committee took a roll-call vote recorded in the transcript as 130 yes; no dissenting votes were announced. The bill, which would add judicial capacity in Hamilton County, was reported out of committee with unanimous support and will proceed through the legislative process.

Sponsors said the additions reflect recent caseload data and demographic trends; committee discussion noted that, even if additions are scheduled for 2028, Hamilton County would likely remain near the top of the needs list because of continuing growth.