Committee advances bill creating court marshals to provide statewide judicial security

Senate Bill 291, sponsored in the committee by the bill's author, would replace the existing Supreme Court sheriff with appointed court marshals for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Tax Court, assign them responsibilities for protecting justices, staff, facilities and residences, and grant limited police powers and detention authority coordinated with local law enforcement.

The measure also includes provisions to protect judges' personal information. Sponsor said the bill modernizes court security and cited recent violence against a judge and family as a motivating factor.

"It provides very special security for the courts," the sponsor said, explaining that the bill authorizes marshals and deputy marshals and extends similar provisions to other appellate courts. The sponsor said the bill provides qualified immunity for actions taken in official duties.

Paige Feltz, representing the Indiana State Bar Association, told the committee the organization "strongly support[s] this bill." Justice Goff and Judge Bradford also spoke in favor, saying the measure largely codifies existing practice and that funds exist to sustain the security staffing model.

Committee counsel explained Amendment No. 2 removes criminal penalties and includes a technical correction to the court marshal language and adds reporting detail for the Supreme Court. The committee adopted the amendment by consent.

After brief committee discussion and a motion to move the bill as amended, the committee took a roll-call vote and recorded the motion as approved (roll call in the transcript recorded 11-0 on that motion). The chair said the bill would be amended and carried to second reading.

The committee did not take additional substantive changes at the hearing and held the measure to move forward with the adopted technical amendment.