Indy Standard

State Representative Michael Aylesworth has proposed a resolution to address the shortage of judges in Indiana's rural areas by relaxing residency requirements. The measure, which recently passed the Indiana House of Representatives, aims to allow city and town judges to live in bordering counties closest to their court's location.

A study by the American Bar Association indicates that Indiana ranks 43rd among states for lawyer availability, with only 2.3 lawyers per 1,000 residents. Nearly half of the state's 16,000 lawyers are concentrated around Indianapolis, limiting access to legal services in rural communities.

"Lawyers who could later serve as judges have become increasingly scarce in more rural areas of the state," Aylesworth said. "With older lawyers retiring and not enough new ones to replace them, rural communities are limited when it comes to legal services."

Currently, Indiana's constitution mandates that city or town court judges reside within the county where they work. House Joint Resolution 1 proposes an amendment to make these residency requirements less restrictive.

For this constitutional amendment to take effect, it must be passed twice by two different general assemblies. Initially approved during the 122nd legislative session in 2023, the resolution will now proceed to the Senate for further consideration. More information on legislative proceedings can be found at iga.in.gov.