Rule 12 – Change of Venue in Criminal Cases

May 13, 2021 | Criminal Procedure, Indiana

(A)Change of Venue from the County. In criminal actions and proceedings to enforce a statute defining an infraction, a motion for change of venue from the county shall be verified or accompanied by an affidavit signed by the criminal defendant or the prosecuting attorney setting forth facts in support of the constitutional or statutory basis or bases for the change. Any opposing party shall have the right to file counter-affidavits within ten (10) days, and after a hearing on the motion, the ruling of the court may be reviewed only for abuse of discretion.
(B)Change of Judge-Felony and Misdemeanor Cases. In felony and misdemeanor cases, the state or defendant may request a change of judge for bias or prejudice. The party shall timely file an affidavit that the judge has a personal bias or prejudice against the state or defendant. The affidavit shall state the facts and the reasons for the belief that such bias or prejudice exists, and shall be accompanied by a certificate from the attorney of record that the attorney in good faith believes that the historical facts recited in the affidavit are true. The request shall be granted if the historical facts recited in the affidavit support a rational inference of bias or prejudice.
(C)Change of Judge-Infractions and Ordinance Violations. In proceedings to enforce a statute defining an infraction and in cases involving the prosecution of ordinance violations, a motion for change of judge shall be verified or accompanied by an affidavit signed by the criminal defendant or prosecuting attorney setting forth facts in support of cause for such change of judge. Any opposing party shall have the right to file counter-affidavits within ten (10) days. The decision of the court in such matters shall be reviewed only for abuse of discretion. In the event a motion for change of judge is granted under this provision, the procedure for reassignment of the case as set forth in Criminal Rule 13 shall apply.
(D)Time Period for Filing Request for Change of Judge or Change of Venue. In any criminal action, no change of judge or change of venue from the county shall be granted except within the time herein provided.

(1)Ten Day Rule. An application for a change of judge or change of venue from the county shall be filed within ten (10) days after a plea of not guilty, or if a date less than ten (10) days from the date of said plea, the case is set for trial, the application shall be filed within five (5) days after setting the case for trial. Provided, that where a cause is remanded for a new trial by the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals, such application must be filed not later than ten (10) days after the party has knowledge that the cause is ready to be set for trial.
(2)Subsequently Discovered Grounds. If the applicant first obtains knowledge of the cause for change of venue from the judge or from the county after the time above limited, the applicant may file the application, which shall be verified by the party specifically alleging when the cause was first discovered, how it was discovered, the facts showing the cause for a change, and why such cause could not have been discovered before by the exercise of due diligence. Any opposing party shall have the right to file counter-affidavits on such issue within ten (10) days, and after a hearing on the motion, the ruling of the court may be reviewed only for abuse of discretion.
(E)Pleadings and Papers. All pleadings, papers and affidavits filed at any hearing held pursuant to this rule shall become a part of the record without further action upon the part of either party.
(F)Reassignment of Case or Selection of Special Judge. Whenever in a criminal action an application for a change of judge has been timely filed and granted, the case shall be reassigned or a special judge shall be selected in accordance with Ind. Crim. Rule 13.
(G)Procedure for Change of Venue from County.

(1) Whenever a change of venue from the county is granted, if the parties to such action shall agree in open court, within three (3) days from the granting of the motion or affidavit for the change of venue, upon the county to which the change of venue shall be changed, it shall be the duty of the court to transfer such action to such county. In the absence of such agreement, it shall be the duty of the court within two (2) days thereafter to submit to the parties a written list of all of the counties adjoining the county from which the venue is changed; provided, however, if it appears to the regular judge or the presiding judge before whom an application for a change of venue from the county is pending that the grounds for such change also exist in one or more of the adjoining counties to which the case may be venued, such judge shall have the right to eliminate such county or counties from the list of counties to be submitted for striking and to substitute another county or counties where such grounds, in his opinion, do not exist in order that the defendant shall have a fair and impartial trial.
(2) The parties within seven (7) days thereafter, or within such time, not to exceed fourteen (14) days, as the court shall fix, shall each alternately strike off the names of such counties. The party first filing such motion shall strike first, and the action shall be sent to the county remaining not stricken under such procedure. If a moving party fails to so strike within said time, such party shall not be entitled to a change of venue, and the court shall resume general jurisdiction of the cause. If a non-moving party fails to strike off the names of such counties within the time limited, then the clerk shall strike off such names for such party.
(3) Whenever a court has granted an order for a change of venue to another county and the costs thereof have been paid where an obligation exists to pay such costs for such change, either party to the cause may file a certified copy of the order making such change in the court to which such change has been made, and thereupon such court shall have full jurisdiction of said cause, regardless of the fact that the transcript and papers have not yet been filed with such court to which such change is taken. Nothing in this rule shall be construed as divesting the original court of its jurisdiction to hear and determine emergency matters between the time that a motion for change of venue to another county is filed and the time that the court grants an order for the change of venue.
(4) Notwithstanding any provision of these rules or the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure to the contrary, whenever a court has granted an order for a change of venue to another county, the judge granting the change of venue may be appointed as special judge for that cause in the receiving county if the judge granting the change, the receiving judge, and all of the parties to the cause agree to such appointment.

Ind. R. Crim. P. 12