Lawyers in Indiana

Finding a lawyer in Indiana

Indiana keeps its lawyers on a single public list, the Roll of Attorneys, maintained under the authority of the Indiana Supreme Court. If a person is not on that roll with an active status, they are not licensed to practice law in the state. That makes the first step of any search in Indiana simple: find candidates here by practice area and city, then confirm each one on the roll.

Indiana's trial courts are organized by county as circuit and superior courts, with small claims handled in dedicated courts or divisions, including township small claims courts in Marion County. Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend and Bloomington each have their own legal communities, and many firms concentrate on the counties around them.

When you need a lawyer (and when you may not)

Talk to an Indiana attorney promptly if you are charged with a crime, arrested for operating while intoxicated (Indiana's term for DUI), injured in a crash or at work, involved in a divorce or custody dispute, facing an immigration case, or served with a lawsuit. Legal deadlines in Indiana are set by statute and differ by claim; some require notice to the other side well before any lawsuit.

Small money disputes are designed to be handled without a lawyer in Indiana's small claims courts, and many people do so. Simple traffic tickets and some routine filings are similar. If you are unsure whether your case is simple, a short consultation is inexpensive compared with a wrong guess.

Common practice areas in Indiana

• Personal Injury and Car Accident — crash, fall and product-injury claims, generally handled on a contingency fee.
• Family & Divorce — dissolution, custody and parenting time, child support and paternity in the circuit and superior courts.
• Criminal Defense and DUI & DWI — defense of misdemeanor and felony charges, including OWI cases and license suspensions.
• Immigration — a federal practice; Indiana cases are heard in federal immigration courts, and many Indiana clients travel to Chicago for hearings.
• Bankruptcy — a federal practice filed in the Northern or Southern District of Indiana.
• Estate Planning & Probate — wills, trusts, powers of attorney and estate administration through the county courts.
• Real Estate — residential and farm transactions, title problems and landlord-tenant disputes.
• Employment and Workers' Compensation — workplace claims, and job-injury cases through the Worker's Compensation Board of Indiana.
• Social Security Disability — federal disability benefit claims and appeals.

Medical Malpractice, Business, Tax, Intellectual Property, Civil Rights and Traffic Ticket firms are listed as well. Indiana's medical malpractice claims go through a state review process before trial, which is one reason to use a lawyer experienced in that area.

How to check a lawyer's license in Indiana

Search the Indiana Roll of Attorneys online by name. The record shows the attorney's status, admission date, the county where they practice and whether the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission has brought public discipline. Look for active, good-standing status before you hire.

The Indiana State Bar Association is a voluntary organization. Membership signals professional involvement but is not the same as a license. Lawyers admitted only in Illinois, Kentucky or Ohio generally may not handle your Indiana court case without special permission.

How to choose a law firm

Pick a firm that handles your type of case regularly in your part of the state. Ask how many similar matters the lawyer has taken recently and how they ended, without expecting a prediction about yours. Ask who will actually work on the file and how to reach them.

Discuss fees openly. Indiana lawyers use contingency fees in injury cases, hourly rates for most family and business work, and flat fees for defined tasks. Ask which expenses are billed separately, and get the agreement in writing before work starts.

Questions to ask at the first consultation

1. How often do you handle cases like mine in this county?
2. Who will be my day-to-day contact at the firm?
3. How are fees calculated, and what expenses are extra?
4. Are any deadlines close, and what happens if we miss one?
5. What range of outcomes should I prepare for?
6. What should I do or avoid while the case is pending?
7. How will you keep me informed?

Free and low-cost legal help

Indiana Legal Services helps lower-income Hoosiers with housing, family, consumer and benefits problems, and IndianaLegalHelp.org publishes guides and court forms for people handling matters on their own. Indiana courts also support self-help through legal help centers and standardized forms.

The Indiana State Bar Association and local bar associations, including the Indianapolis Bar Association, operate lawyer referral services that connect callers with a private attorney for a short consultation. Law school clinics at Indiana University in Bloomington and Indianapolis and at Notre Dame handle selected cases with supervised students.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different — talk to a licensed Indiana attorney about your situation.