The forms adopted by the Supreme Court or Coalition for Court Access are sufficient under the rules and must be accepted for filing subject to Rule 88.
Rule 82.Forms
Current through July 1, 2026 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceTrial Rule 82 requires Indiana courts to accept filings made on the standard forms adopted by the Supreme Court or the Coalition for Court Access, and it ties that acceptance to the narrow rejection grounds set out in Rule 88.
Full Text of Rule 82
Amendment History
This rule’s current text took effect January 1, 2025. For the full history of earlier amendments and adoption orders, see the Indiana Office of Court Services.
Plain-English Summary
Trial Rule 82 is a short rule with a practical payoff for anyone filing paperwork without a lawyer. The Indiana Supreme Court and the Coalition for Court Access — the initiative behind the state’s standardized, plain-language court forms — publish forms for many common filings. Rule 82 says that using one of those approved forms satisfies the trial rules, so a court can’t turn away a filing just because it was made on one of these forms rather than something a lawyer drafted from scratch.
That acceptance isn’t unconditional — it’s subject to Rule 88, which spells out the narrow set of reasons a clerk can reject an e-filed document (an unpaid fee, the wrong case management system, or the filer’s own request) and the process for curing a filing that doesn’t otherwise conform. In practice, an approved form gets filed, but it can still be returned for correction, or rejected outright, on those specific grounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use a form drafted by a lawyer, or can I use an official Indiana court form?
You can use a form adopted by the Indiana Supreme Court or the Coalition for Court Access. Rule 82 makes those forms sufficient under the trial rules, and the court has to accept them for filing.
Can a clerk reject my filing just because I used a standard form instead of one an attorney drafted?
No. Rule 82 requires the court to accept filings made on Supreme Court- or Coalition for Court Access-approved forms. A clerk can reject or return a filing only on the grounds Rule 88 allows.
What is the Coalition for Court Access?
It’s the organization, alongside the Supreme Court, whose adopted forms Rule 82 recognizes as sufficient for filing in Indiana courts.
Can my filing still be rejected even if I used an approved form?
Yes, in limited circumstances. Rule 82 accepts approved forms subject to Rule 88, which lets a clerk reject an e-filed document for an unpaid fee, an incorrect case management system selection, or at the filer’s own request, and lets the clerk or court return a non-conforming filing for correction instead.
Where can I find the official Indiana court forms Rule 82 refers to?
Rule 82 doesn’t create the forms itself — it recognizes whatever forms the Supreme Court or the Coalition for Court Access have adopted and published as sufficient for filing.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure (T.R. 82). 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. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: Indiana Trial Rule 82official Indiana court formsCoalition for Court Access forms Indianacan I use a standard form to file in Indiana courtIndiana approved court forms self represented litigantdoes Indiana require attorney drafted forms