Protective Order News - Madison and Marion County Pilot Program

A bit delayed in getting this out, but those interested may want to take a look at  Marion & Madison Counties Lead Effort to Improve Protective Order Registry

Marion and Madison Counties are serving as pilot counties for a new public access component of the protective order registry. The expanded registry will allow domestic violence advocates to complete required forms online at domestic violence shelters. Once the forms are completed, they can be printed and taken to the court clerk for filing. Since the information is already in the registry, the clerk can focus on getting the information to a judge to review. When a judge issues a protective order the information is sent to local, state, and federal law enforcement automatically and electronically. This pilot system is expected to save time and increase efficiency for the courts. It will also allow a person requesting a protective order to start the process with the help of a trained domestic violence advocate.

In 2007, Marion County had 4,177 new protective orders filed and Madison County had 1,264 new orders filed during that same period. Those thousands of requestors obtained their protective orders by going to the County Clerk’s office where they filed their petitions requesting a protective order. The process can include waiting in line and waiting for clerk staff to help them properly complete the paperwork.

The expanded registry is being piloted in Marion and Madison Counties and six other counties across the state including Allen, Elkhart, Grant, Tippecanoe, Saint Joseph, and Wabash Counties. It is being implemented by the Supreme Court’s Division of State Court Administration Judicial Technology and Automation Committee (JTAC). Justice Sullivan, who chairs JTAC, believes the expanded registry is one of the most significant accomplishments of the Committee, “We are helping to save lives with this partnership. This new public access function is being added after suggestions from domestic violence advocates and local clerks. By working closely with Indiana State Police, Marion and Madison County domestic violence advocates, and our state legislature we have developed a system that will do more to protect victims.”

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The Indiana Supreme Court received a $135,235 grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute to improve the electronic Protection Order Registry.  The money has helped pay for the development of the enhanced registry site.  The Protective Order Registry is used in 92 counties.  More information is available at www.in.gov/judiciary/jtac/programs/poregistry.html.