Ind. Code ch. 21-13-12

Ind. Code ch. 21-13-12
in effect

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-1 "Accredited law school"

Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "accredited law school" means an Indiana based law school that is approved by the American Bar Association and, for purposes of Rule 13 of the Rules for Admission to the Bar and the Discipline of Attorneys adopted by the Indiana supreme court, has not been disapproved by the Indiana supreme court. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-2 "Full-time deputy prosecuting attorney"

Sec. 2. (a) As used in this chapter, "full-time deputy prosecuting attorney" means an individual who is employed full time as a deputy prosecuting attorney. (b) The term does not include a: (1) prosecuting attorney; (2) chief deputy prosecuting attorney; or (3) deputy prosecuting attorney appointed under IC 33-39-6-2(b) through IC 33-39-6-2(e). As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-3 "Full-time public defender"

Sec. 3. (a) As used in this chapter, "full-time public defender" means an individual who: (1) is employed full time by a county as a public defender; or (2) maintains a full-time equivalent caseload, as certified by the Indiana commission on court appointed attorneys under section 16 of this chapter, as a contractual or hourly public defender. (b) The term does not include any of the following: (1) The state public defender. (2) A deputy of the state public defender. (3) A chief public defender. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-4 "Scholarship program"

Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "scholarship program" means the county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship program established by section 5 of this chapter. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-5 County deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship program established; scholarship application; scholarship award

Sec. 5. (a) The county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship program is established. (b) The commission shall receive and consider applications for a county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship under this chapter. (c) Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, the commission may award a county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship to an eligible applicant under this chapter. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-6 County deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship fund established; funding sources and administration

Sec. 6. (a) The county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship fund is established for the purpose of providing scholarships to attract and retain eligible applicants to full-time deputy prosecuting attorney and full-time public defender positions. (b) The fund consists of gifts, grants, devises, or bequests made to the commission to achieve the purposes of the fund. (c) The commission shall administer the fund. (d) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from money in the fund. (e) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same manner as other public funds may be invested. Interest that accrues from these investments shall be deposited in the fund. (f) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not revert to the state general fund but remains available to be used for the purposes of this chapter. (g) No state funds may be: (1) appropriated or transferred to the fund; or (2) used to award scholarships under the scholarship program. Any gifts, grants, devises or bequests made to the commission to achieve the purposes of the fund may be used to award scholarships under the scholarship program. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-7 Commission duties

Sec. 7. The commission shall do the following: (1) Develop a promotional program to inform and attract students to participate in the scholarship program. (2) Establish protocols and procedures concerning the application process for the scholarship program. (3) Develop protocols, in consultation with accredited law schools, to ensure successful completion of the scholarship program and assist graduates in completing the requirements of the scholarship program. (4) Establish, in coordination with the governor's office, a guide for the management of the scholarship program by commission personnel. (5) Designate personnel or contract with a third party vendor to manage the scholarship program. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-8 Scholarship requirements

Sec. 8. (a) An applicant who is enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in an accredited law school after June 30, 2026, may qualify for a scholarship under this chapter. (b) To qualify for a scholarship under this chapter, an applicant must meet the following requirements: (1) Apply for a scholarship on a form supplied by the commission. (2) Have applied and been accepted for enrollment as a full-time or part-time student in an accredited law school. (3) Agree in writing to: (A) work as a full-time: (i) deputy prosecuting attorney; or (ii) public defender; in Indiana for at least five (5) consecutive years immediately following the date the applicant is admitted to practice law in Indiana; and (B) repay all or a prorated amount of the scholarship, as determined by the commission, if the applicant fails to meet the requirements under clause (A). (4) Submit a written essay, as determined by the commission. (5) Complete a curriculum path established for the practice of law in Indiana that must include the study of the rules of evidence, criminal and civil rules of procedure, substantive criminal law, and constitutional law that is specific to Indiana. The curriculum path must also include opportunities for experiential learning. (6) Meet any other criteria established by the commission. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-9 Scholarship application review

Sec. 9. The commission shall consider each application under section 8 of this chapter and determine the eligibility of the applicant for the scholarship. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-10 Scholarship terms and conditions

Sec. 10. Before receiving a scholarship under this chapter, the applicant must enter into a contract with the commission agreeing to: (1) the terms and conditions described in section 8(b)(3) of this chapter; and (2) any other terms and conditions established by the commission. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-11 Scholarship award amounts

Sec. 11. (a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c), if an applicant meets the requirements under section 8 of this chapter, the commission may award the following: (1) For an applicant who is enrolled full-time in an accredited law school, a scholarship to the applicant in an amount of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for: (A) each academic year that the applicant attends the accredited law school; and (B) not more than a total of three (3) academic years. (2) For an applicant who is enrolled part-time in an accredited law school, a scholarship to the applicant in an amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for: (A) each academic year that the applicant attends the accredited law school; and (B) not more than a total of four (4) academic years. (b) The commission may not award a scholarship under this chapter in an amount of more than a total of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) to an individual applicant. (c) If the total amount to be distributed from the fund in a state fiscal year exceeds the amount available for distribution, the amount to be distributed to each eligible applicant shall be proportionately reduced so that the total reductions equal the amount of the excess. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-12 Continuing eligibility

Sec. 12. To maintain eligibility for a scholarship under this chapter, a student who receives a scholarship under this chapter must remain in good standing with the applicable accredited law school. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-13 Scholarship repayment

Sec. 13. An individual shall repay the amount of the scholarship awarded to the individual under this chapter in a timely fashion, as determined by the commission, if the following apply: (1) The individual received a scholarship under this chapter. (2) The individual is no longer enrolled in an accredited law school. (3) The individual either: (A) did not graduate with a law degree from an accredited law school; or (B) was not admitted to practice law in Indiana within two (2) years from the date the individual graduated with a law degree from an accredited law school. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-14 Scholarship repayment; timing; proration; waiver

Sec. 14. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), if an individual: (1) receives a scholarship under this chapter; and (2) fails to work as a full-time: (A) deputy prosecuting attorney; or (B) public defender; in Indiana for at least five (5) consecutive years immediately following the date the applicant is admitted to practice law in Indiana as described in section 8(b)(3) of this chapter; the individual shall repay the total amount of the scholarship awarded to the individual under this chapter in a timely fashion. However, an individual shall repay a prorated amount of the scholarship, as determined by the commission, based on the number of consecutive years the individual worked full time as described in section 8(b)(3)(A) of this chapter. (b) The commission may extend the length of time in which an individual must complete the requirements of an agreement described in section 8(b)(3) of this chapter if the: (1) individual submits a petition to the commission in a manner prescribed by the commission; and (2) commission determines that extenuating circumstances prevented the individual from timely meeting the requirements described in section 8(b)(3) of this chapter. (c) The commission may waive repayment under subsection (a) and section 13 of this chapter if the individual has been declared to be totally and permanently disabled under 34 CFR 685.213. (d) The commission may enter into an agreement with the department of state revenue established by IC 6-8.1-2-1 or another third party vendor to assist in the enforcement of subsection (a) and section 13 of this chapter. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-15 Scholarship work requirements

Sec. 15. An individual who receives a scholarship under this chapter: (1) may work part of the five (5) consecutive year period as a full-time deputy prosecuting attorney and part of the five (5) consecutive year period as a full-time public defender as long as the individual works a total of five (5) consecutive years as described in section 8(b)(3) of this chapter; and (2) is not required to work in the same full-time deputy prosecuting attorney or full-time public defender position in Indiana for the five (5) consecutive years. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-16 Certification of full-time status

Sec. 16. The Indiana commission on court appointed attorneys shall annually certify to the commission whether a full-time public defender described in section 3(a)(2) of this chapter is maintaining a full-time equivalent caseload for meeting eligibility requirements of the scholarship program. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-17 Financial aid award

Sec. 17. The commission shall administer the scholarship awarded under this chapter as a financial aid award. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-18 Effect of other scholarships or financial aid

Sec. 18. (a) Subject to subsection (c), the amount of a scholarship awarded under this chapter may not be reduced because the student receives other scholarships or forms of financial aid. (b) Except as otherwise provided under law and subject to subsection (c), the amount of any other state financial aid received by a student may not be reduced because the student receives a scholarship under this chapter. (c) The total amount of scholarships or other financial aid a student receives may not exceed the total amount of the cost of tuition to attend the accredited law school. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-19 Appropriation

Sec. 19. An applicant is eligible to receive a scholarship under this chapter only if an appropriation has been made to carry out the specific purposes of this chapter. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-20 Commission records

Sec. 20. (a) The commission shall maintain complete and accurate records in implementing the fund, including records of the following: (1) The receipt, disbursement, and uses of money from the fund. (2) The number of applications for the county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship. (3) The number and amount of county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarships that have been awarded by the commission. (4) Any other information collected concerning the fund or county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarships awarded under this chapter. (b) Not later than November 1, 2026, and each November 1 thereafter, the commission shall submit a report that summarizes the records described in subsection (a) to the: (1) governor; and (2) general assembly in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.

Ind. Code § 21-13-12-21 Rules

Sec. 21. The commission may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 necessary to carry out this chapter. As added by P.L.232-2025, SEC.24.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/21Fetched: 10/17/2026

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