2018 Indiana Code
TITLE 9. Motor Vehicles
ARTICLE 30. GENERAL PENALTY PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 3. Court Procedures
9-30-3-8. Failure to appear or answer; issuance of warrant; failure to execute; notification of bureau; suspension of driving privileges; nonresidents
Sec. 8. (a) The court may issue a warrant for the arrest of a defendant who is an Indiana resident and who fails to appear or answer a traffic information and summons or a complaint and summons served upon the defendant. If the warrant is not executed within thirty (30) days after issue, the court shall promptly forward the court copy of the traffic information and summons or complaint and summons to the bureau indicating that the defendant failed to appear in court as ordered. The court shall then mark the case as failure to appear on the court's records.
(b) If a defendant who is not an Indiana resident fails to appear or answer a traffic summons served upon the defendant and upon which the information or complaint has been filed thirty (30) days after the return date of the information and summons or complaint and summons, the court shall promptly forward the court copy of the traffic information and summons or complaint and summons to the bureau. The bureau shall notify the motor vehicle commission of the state of the nonresident defendant of the defendant's failure to appear and also of any action taken by the bureau relative to the Indiana driving privileges of the defendant. If the defendant fails to appear or otherwise answer within thirty (30) days, the court shall mark the case as failure to appear on the court's records.
(c) The court may suspend the driving privileges of a defendant who fails to satisfy a judgment entered against the defendant for:
(1) violation of a traffic ordinance; or
(2) commission of a traffic infraction;
by a date set by the court under IC 34-28-5-6. The court shall forward notice to the bureau indicating that the defendant failed to pay as ordered.
(d) If the bureau receives a copy of the traffic information and summons or complaint and summons for failure to appear in court under subsection (a) or (b) or a notice of failure to pay under subsection (c), either on a form prescribed by the bureau or in an electronic format prescribed by the office of judicial administration, the bureau shall suspend the driving privileges of the defendant until the defendant appears in court and the case has been disposed of, or until the date payment is received by the court. The order of suspension may be served upon the defendant by mailing the order by first class mail to the defendant at the last address shown for the defendant in the records of the bureau.
(e) For nonresidents of Indiana, the order of suspension shall be mailed to the defendant at the address given to the arresting officer or the clerk of court by the defendant as shown by the traffic information or complaint. A copy of the order shall also be sent to the motor vehicle bureau of the state of the nonresident defendant. If:
(1) the defendant's failure to appear in court has been certified to the bureau under this chapter; and
(2) the defendant subsequently appears in court to answer the charges against the defendant;
the court shall proceed to hear and determine the case in the same manner as other cases pending in the court. Upon final determination of the case, the court shall notify the bureau of the determination either in an electronic format or upon forms prescribed by the bureau. The notification shall be made by the court within ten (10) days after the final determination of the case, and information from the original copy of the traffic information and summons or complaint and summons must accompany the notification.
[Pre-1991 Recodification Citation: 9-4-7-6.]
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.18. Amended by P.L.184-2007, SEC.60; P.L.206-2007, SEC.8; P.L.125-2012, SEC.324; P.L.85-2013, SEC.82; P.L.161-2018, SEC.19.
