Indiana Law

Indiana residents are subject to Indiana state and U.S. federal laws. Federal laws apply in Indiana as they do across all 50 states. In addition to the U.S. Constitution, which is the supreme law of the U.S., federal laws include statutes that are periodically codified in the U.S. Code. Federal laws also include decisions by courts that interpret federal laws. Finally, federal laws include regulations issued by federal administrative agencies to implement federal laws. You can explore federal laws and related resources by visiting the federal law section of the Justia site.

The state of Indiana also has its own state laws. Indiana state laws include the Indiana Constitution, laws passed by the Indiana legislature and periodically codified in the Indiana Code, and decisions by courts that interpret Indiana laws.

Although the current version of the Indiana Constitution dates from 1851, it has been amended many times since its creation. Some of its most distinctive provisions involve the term lengths for governors, judges, and justices. The Indiana Constitution permits amendments in narrower circumstances than most other state constitutions. Under Article 16, an amendment must originate in the legislature. A majority of each chamber of the Indiana General Assembly must vote in favor of the amendment in two successive sessions before the amendment appears on a ballot. The Constitution does not provide any procedure for setting up a constitutional convention, unlike most states.

The Indiana Code contains the laws passed by the Indiana legislature. These laws and the provisions of the Indiana Constitution are often interpreted by the Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Court of Appeals. Two federal district courts in Indiana also issue decisions that may affect Indiana residents. These are the Northern and Southern District Courts of Indiana. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals holds the authority to review decisions by federal district courts in Indiana. Sometimes the U.S. Supreme Court may review a case that has been appealed from the Seventh Circuit or from the Indiana Supreme Court.