Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure
Cited as T.R. · 122 active rules
Indiana's trial courts follow these rules for every civil action, from filing a complaint through trial and post-judgment relief. Every rule has a summary, FAQs and full text.
I. Scope of Rules—One Form of Action
II. Commencement of Action; Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions and Orders
- Rule 3 Commencement of an action
- Rule 3.1 Appearance
- Rule 4 Process
- Rule 4.1 Summons: Service on individuals
- Rule 4.2 Summons: Service upon infant or incompetents
- Rule 4.3 Summons: Service upon institutionalized persons
- Rule 4.4 Service upon persons in actions for acts done in this state or having an effect in this state
- Rule 4.5 Summons: Service upon resident who cannot be found or served within the state
- Rule 4.6 Service upon organizations
- Rule 4.7 Summons: Service upon agent named by statute or agreement
- Rule 4.8 Summons: Service of pleadings or summons on Attorney General
- Rule 4.9 Summons: In rem actions
- Rule 4.10 Summons: Service upon Secretary of State or other governmental agent
- Rule 4.11 Summons: Registered or certified mail
- Rule 4.12 Summons: Service by sheriff or other officer
- Rule 4.13 Summons: Service by publication
- Rule 4.14 Service Under Special Order of Court
- Rule 4.15 Summons: Proof of Service—Return—Amendments—Defects
- Rule 4.16 Summons: Duties of persons to aid in service
- Rule 4.17 Summons: Certain proceedings excepted
- Rule 5 Service and Filing of Pleadings, Documents, and Other Papers
- Rule 5.1 Service of Constitutional Challenge on Attorney General
- Rule 6 Time
III. Pleadings and Motions
- Rule 7 Pleadings and motions
- Rule 8 General rules of pleading
- Rule 9 Pleading special matters
- Rule 9.1 Pleading and proof of contributory negligence, assumed risk, res ipsa loquitur, consideration, bona fide purchaser, matters of judicial notice—Answer of distraint
- Rule 9.2 Pleading and proof of written instruments
- Rule 10 Form of pleadings, motions, memoranda, and briefs
- Rule 11 Parties represented by an attorney: Signing, certification, and verification
- Rule 11.1 Parties not represented by an attorney: Signing, certification, and verification
- Rule 11.2 Abusive Litigation
- Rule 12 Defenses, objections, and motions on the pleadings
- Rule 13 Counterclaim and cross-claim
- Rule 14 Third-party practice
- Rule 15 Amended and supplemental pleadings
- Rule 16 Pre-trial procedure: Formulating issues
IV. Parties
- Rule 17 Parties plaintiff and defendant—Capacity
- Rule 17.1 Parties: State as party—Attorney general
- Rule 18 Joinder of claims and remedies
- Rule 19 Joinder of person needed for just adjudication
- Rule 20 Permissive joinder of parties
- Rule 21 Misjoinder and non-joinder of parties; venue and jurisdiction over the subject-matter
- Rule 22 Interpleader
- Rule 23 Class actions
- Rule 23.1 Derivative actions by shareholders
- Rule 23.2 Actions relating to unincorporated associations
- Rule 24 Intervention
- Rule 25 Substitution of parties
V. Depositions and Discovery
- Rule 26 General provisions governing discovery
- Rule 27 Depositions before action or pending appeal
- Rule 28 Persons before whom depositions may be taken; discovery across state lines; before administrative agencies; and after judgment
- Rule 29 Stipulations regarding discovery procedure
- Rule 30 Depositions Upon Oral Examination
- Rule 31 Deposition of witnesses upon written questions
- Rule 32 Use of depositions in court proceedings
- Rule 33 Interrogatories to Parties
- Rule 34 Production of documents, electronically stored information, and things and entry upon land for inspection and other purposes
- Rule 35 Physical and mental examination of persons
- Rule 36 Requests for admission
- Rule 37 Failure to make or cooperate in discovery: Sanctions
VI. Trials
- Rule 38 Jury Trial of Right
- Rule 39 Trial by jury or by the court
- Rule 40 Assignment of cases for trial
- Rule 41 Dismissal of actions
- Rule 42 Consolidation--Separate trials
- Rule 43 Evidence
- Rule 44 Proof of official record
- Rule 44.1 Determination of foreign law
- Rule 45 Subpoena
- Rule 46 Exceptions unnecessary
- Rule 47 Jurors and peremptory challenges
- Rule 48 Juries of less than six--Majority verdict
- Rule 49 Special verdicts and interrogatories
- Rule 50 Judgment on the Evidence (Directed Verdict)
- Rule 51 Instructions to jury: Objections, requests: Submission in stages
- Rule 52 Findings by the Court
- Rule 53 Court-appointed Neutrals
- Rule 53.1 Failure to rule on motion
- Rule 53.2 Time for holding issue under advisement; delay of entering a judgment
- Rule 53.3 Motion to correct error: time limitation for ruling
- Rule 53.4 Repetitive motions and motions to reconsider; time for holding under advisement; automatic denial
- Rule 53.5 [Vacated] Vacated
VII. Judgment
- Rule 54 Judgment; Costs
- Rule 55 Default
- Rule 56 Summary judgment
- Rule 57 Declaratory judgments
- Rule 58 Entry and content of judgment
- Rule 59 Motion to correct error
- Rule 60 Relief from judgment or order
- Rule 60.5 Mandate of funds
- Rule 61 Harmless error
- Rule 62 Stay of proceedings to enforce a judgment
- Rule 63 Disability and unavailability of a judge
- Rule 63.1 Lis pendens notice of proceedings avoiding judgments and circumstances tolling and extending statutes of limitations; assignments and discharges in lis pendens and judgment dockets; lis pendens notices in cases involving interest in personal property
VIII. Provisional and Final Remedies and Special Proceedings
- Rule 64 Seizure of person or property
- Rule 65 Injunctions
- Rule 65.1 Security: Proceedings against sureties
- Rule 66 Receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors and statutory and other liquidators; claims against such officers
- Rule 67 Deposit in court; payment of judgment
- Rule 68 Offer of judgment
- Rule 69 Execution, proceedings supplemental to execution, foreclosure sales
- Rule 70 Judgment for specific acts; vesting title; recordation
- Rule 71 Process in behalf of and against persons not parties
IX. Trial Courts and Clerks
X. Venue, Change of Venue, Change of Judge
- Rule 75 Venue requirements
- Rule 76 Change of venue or judge in civil actions
- Rule 77 Court records
- Rule 78 Jurisdiction pending change from county
- Rule 79 Special judge selection: circuit, superior, and probate courts
- Rule 79.1 Special judge selection: city, town, and Marion county small claims courts
XI. General Provisions
- Rule 80 Procedure for Amending Rules
- Rule 81 Local court rules
- Rule 81.1 Procedures for Cases Involving Family or Household Members
- Rule 82 Forms
- Rule 83 Definitions
- Rule 84 [Vacated] Vacated
- Rule 85 [Vacated] Vacated
- Rule 86 General electronic filing and electronic service
- Rule 87 Electronic Filing
- Rule 88 Court and Clerk Electronic Filing Review
Indiana's Rules of Trial Procedure run 1 through 88, including decimal-numbered rules inserted after their nearest whole number. Three are Vacated, with no rule text on record: Rule 53.5, Rule 84, and Rule 85. All three are shown below for completeness, labeled with the source's own status and vacatur date. Rules 5.1 and 44.1 appear on the court's official rule pages but not in its compiled booklet; their text here comes from those pages.
Source: Indiana Office of Court Services (Indiana Supreme Court) ·
Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Indiana, under its inherent constitutional rulemaking power (reaffirmed by Ind. Code 34-8-1-1 and 34-8-2-1); originally enacted by the Indiana General Assembly in 1969 ·
Current through August 1, 2026 ·
Official source