Justices Amend Rules Of Judicial Conduct, Bar Admission

The high court first announced amendments to the Indiana Rules for Admission to the Bar and the Discipline of Attorneys, Rules 2(j) and 4.

Rule 2(j) dealing with annual continuing education fees for non-attorney judges now includes the option to electronically mail notices to non-attorney judges that a $45 education fee must be paid on or before October 1. Additionally, the amendments remove language stating that a failure to pay the $45 fee would result in an automatic suspension from judicial office.

Non-attorney judges who fail to pay the fee will now be subject to suspension from judicial office and “may resume office upon payment of the unpaid education fees and payment of the delinquency fee set out in subsection (1).”

In the same order, Rule 4 regarding the Roll of Attorneys has been updated to reflect current updates in technology. An amendment to the rule replaces the clerk of court’s responsibility to keep, and from time to time revise, a permanent “alphabetical index roll” with “electronic database.”

A second order issued by the justices Thursday includes an addition to Rule 2.12 of the Indiana Code of Judicial Conduct. The rule, dealing with supervisory duties, now states that:

“A judge is responsible for ensuring competency, efficiency, and productivity of court staff. To better provide accurate performance of court staff duties and to best serve the public and the judge, a judge is encouraged to make certain that court staff receive training on a regular and continuing basis.”

All justices concurred with both orders, and the amendments will go into effect on January 1, 2020.