III. Access to criminal proceedings

Overview

Indiana

Note: The Indiana Courts’ “Bench and Media Guide to Interaction” is available on the Indiana Courts’ website: http://www.in.gov/judiciary/pubs/media-guide/index.html

The Guide’s “Public Access to Criminal Information” summarizes the statutory authority for public access to criminal proceedings. It states, in part:

The Indiana General Assembly outlined its policy on public access to courts dealing with criminal cases with the Public Access to Criminal Proceedings Act, found at IC 5-14-2. The legislation was passed in 1982.

The presumption is that criminal proceedings are open to attendance by the general public. This presumption does not include the deliberations of juries or omnibus hearings unless witnesses are giving testimony.

The complete guide is available at:

http://www.in.gov/judiciary/pubs/media-guide/access-to-proceedings.html