The Indiana Judicial Conference has made a recommendation to make major changes to Indiana’s existing trial court system. Post-Tribune, 29 November 2010, “Courts Likely to Help Each Other with Civil Caseloads”
According to the article, The Indiana Judicial Conference has proposed a new system whereby superior, circuit, and town courts would not function on a county-by-county basis, but on a district system, to allow judges to more evenly distribute caseloads among the 92 counties. For instance, the judges in more rural areas who have lower caseloads would have cases from overburdened courts, and/or travel to the respective counties where the suits originated. This change would create little to no extra cost, while increasing efficiency and productivity.
The system would have to be formally approved by the Indiana Supreme Court, and then proceed to the floor of the Indiana General Assembly. Is this truly as efficient as lawmakers such as Shewmaker claim?