2006 Indiana Code - CHAPTER 20. DISPOSITIONAL DECREES

IC 31-34-20
     Chapter 20. Dispositional Decrees

IC 31-34-20-1
Entry of dispositional decrees
    31-34-20-1 Sec. 1. Subject to section 1.5 of this chapter, if a child is a child in need of services, the juvenile court may enter one (1) or more of the following dispositional decrees:
        (1) Order supervision of the child by the probation department or the county office or the department.
        (2) Order the child to receive outpatient treatment:
            (A) at a social service agency or a psychological, a psychiatric, a medical, or an educational facility; or
            (B) from an individual practitioner.
        (3) Remove the child from the child's home and place the child in another home or shelter care facility. Placement under this subdivision includes authorization to control and discipline the child.
        (4) Award wardship to a person or shelter care facility.
        (5) Partially or completely emancipate the child under section 6 of this chapter.
        (6) Order:
            (A) the child; or
            (B) the child's parent, guardian, or custodian;
        to receive family services.
        (7) Order a person who is a party to refrain from direct or indirect contact with the child.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17. Amended by P.L.70-2004, SEC.21; P.L.145-2006, SEC.311; P.L.146-2006, SEC.50.

IC 31-34-20-1.5
Placement in household with certain individuals prohibited; exceptions; criminal history checks
    31-34-20-1.5 Sec. 1.5. (a) Except as provided in subsection (d), the juvenile court may not enter a dispositional decree placing a child in another home under section 1(3) of this chapter or awarding wardship to a county office or the department that will place the child with a person under section 1(4) of this chapter if a person who is currently residing in the home in which the child would be placed under section 1(3) or 1(4) of this chapter has committed an act resulting in a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect, has a juvenile adjudication for an act that would be a felony listed in IC 31-27-4-13 if committed by an adult, or has a conviction for a felony listed in IC 31-27-4-13.
    (b) The juvenile court shall order the probation officer or caseworker who prepared the predispositional report to conduct a criminal history check (as defined in IC 31-9-2-22.5) to determine if a person described in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) has committed an act resulting in a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect, has a juvenile adjudication for an act that would be a felony listed in

IC 31-27-4-13 if committed by an adult, or has a conviction for a felony listed in IC 31-27-4-13. However, the juvenile court is not required to order a criminal history check under this section if criminal history information under IC 31-34-4-2 or IC 31-34-18-6.1 establishes whether a person described in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) has committed an act resulting in a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect, has a juvenile adjudication for an act that would be a felony listed in IC 31-27-4-13 if committed by an adult, or has a conviction for a felony listed in IC 31-27-4-13.
    (c) A probation officer or caseworker is not required to conduct a criminal history check under this section if:
        (1) the probation officer or caseworker is considering only an out-of-home placement to an entity or a facility that:
            (A) is not a residence (as defined in IC 3-5-2-42.5); or
            (B) is licensed by the state; or
        (2) placement under this section is undetermined at the time the predispositional report is prepared.
    (d) A court may enter a dispositional decree placing a child in another home or award wardship to a county office if:
        (1) a person described in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) has:
            (A) committed an act resulting in a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect; or
            (B) been convicted or had a juvenile adjudication for:
                (i) reckless homicide (IC 35-42-1-5);
                (ii) battery (IC 35-42-2-1) as a Class C or D felony;
                (iii) criminal confinement (IC 35-42-3-3) as a Class C or D felony;
                (iv) arson (IC 35-43-1-1) as a Class C or D felony;
                (v) a felony involving a weapon under IC 35-47 or IC 35-47.5 as a Class C or D felony;
                (vi) a felony relating to controlled substances under IC 35-48-4 as a Class C or D felony; or
                (vii) a felony that is substantially equivalent to a felony listed in items (i) through (vi) for which the conviction was entered in another state; and
        (2) the court makes a written finding that the person's commission of the offense, delinquent act, or act of abuse or neglect described in subdivision (1) is not relevant to the person's present ability to care for a child, and that the dispositional decree placing a child in another home or awarding wardship to a county office is in the best interest of the child.
However, a court may not enter a dispositional decree placing a child in another home or award wardship to a county office or the department if the person has been convicted of a felony listed in IC 31-27-4-13 that is not specifically excluded under subdivision (1)(B), or has a juvenile adjudication for an act that would be a felony listed in IC 31-27-4-13 if committed by an adult that is not specifically excluded under subdivision (1)(B).
    (e) In making its written finding under subsection (d), the court

shall consider the following:
        (1) The length of time since the person committed the offense, delinquent act, or act that resulted in the substantiated report of abuse or neglect.
        (2) The severity of the offense, delinquent act, or abuse or neglect.
        (3) Evidence of the person's rehabilitation, including the person's cooperation with a treatment plan, if applicable.
As added by P.L.70-2004, SEC.22. Amended by P.L.234-2005, SEC.183; P.L.145-2006, SEC.312.

IC 31-34-20-2
Dispositional decree that includes no contact order; protective order depository; confidential form
    31-34-20-2 Sec. 2. If a court enters a dispositional decree that includes a no contact order under section 1(7) of this chapter:
        (1) the clerk of the court that enters a dispositional decree that includes a no contact order under section 1(7) of this chapter shall comply with IC 5-2-9; and
        (2) the petitioner shall file a confidential form prescribed or approved by the division of state court administration with the clerk.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17. Amended by P.L.133-2002, SEC.34.

IC 31-34-20-3
Order for participation by parent, guardian, or custodian in program of care, treatment, or rehabilitation for child
    31-34-20-3 Sec. 3. If the juvenile court determines that a parent, guardian, or custodian should participate in a program of care, treatment, or rehabilitation for the child, the court may order the parent, guardian, or custodian to do the following:
        (1) Obtain assistance in fulfilling the obligations as a parent, guardian, or custodian.
        (2) Provide specified care, treatment, or supervision for the child.
        (3) Work with a person providing care, treatment, or rehabilitation for the child.
        (4) Participate in a program operated by or through the department of correction.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17.

IC 31-34-20-4
Decrees limiting contact with child; copies to parties and law enforcement agencies
    31-34-20-4 Sec. 4. (a) The clerk of the court that enters a dispositional decree under this chapter that requires a person to refrain from direct or indirect contact with a child shall provide a copy of the decree to the following:
        (1) Each party.         (2) The sheriff.
        (3) The law enforcement agency of the municipality, if any, in which the child resides.
    (b) Each sheriff and law enforcement agency that receives a decree under subsection (a) shall maintain a copy of the decree in the depository established by IC 5-2-9. The decree may be removed from the depository after the later of the following occurs:
        (1) The lapse of one (1) year after the decree is entered.
        (2) The date specified in the decree if any.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17.

IC 31-34-20-5
Determination and reporting of legal settlement of child
    31-34-20-5 Sec. 5. (a) This section applies if a juvenile court:
        (1) places a child;
        (2) changes the placement of a child; or
        (3) reviews the implementation of a decree under IC 31-34-21 of a child placed;
in a state licensed private or public health care facility, child care facility, or foster family home.
    (b) The juvenile court shall do the following:
        (1) Make findings of fact concerning the legal settlement of the child.
        (2) Apply IC 20-26-11-2(1) through IC 20-26-11-2(8) to determine where the child has legal settlement.
        (3) Include the findings of fact required by this section in:
            (A) the dispositional order;
            (B) the modification order; or
            (C) the other decree;
        making or changing the placement of the child.
    (c) The juvenile court shall comply with the reporting requirements under IC 20-26-11-9 concerning the legal settlement of the child.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17. Amended by P.L.1-2005, SEC.205; P.L.13-2006, SEC.5.

IC 31-34-20-6
Emancipation of child; findings; terms
    31-34-20-6 Sec. 6. (a) The juvenile court may emancipate a child under section 1(5) of this chapter if the court finds that the child:
        (1) wishes to be free from parental control and protection and no longer needs that control and protection;
        (2) has sufficient money for the child's own support;
        (3) understands the consequences of being free from parental control and protection; and
        (4) has an acceptable plan for independent living.
    (b) If the juvenile court partially or completely emancipates the child, the court shall specify the terms of the emancipation, which may include the following:
        (1) Suspension of the parent's or guardian's duty to support the

child. In this case the judgment of emancipation supersedes the support order of a court.
        (2) Suspension of the following:
            (A) The parent's or guardian's right to the control or custody of the child.
            (B) The parent's right to the child's earnings.
        (3) Empowering the child to consent to marriage.
        (4) Empowering the child to consent to military enlistment.
        (5) Empowering the child to consent to:
            (A) medical;
            (B) psychological;
            (C) psychiatric;
            (D) educational; or
            (E) social;
        services.
        (6) Empowering the child to contract.
        (7) Empowering the child to own property.
    (c) An emancipated child remains subject to the following:
        (1) IC 20-33-2 concerning compulsory school attendance.
        (2) The continuing jurisdiction of the court.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17. Amended by P.L.1-2005, SEC.206.