Porter County (Valparaiso, Portage) Indiana DUI courts and procedures

This information about Porter County (Valparaiso, Portage) Indiana DUI DWI OWI courts and procedures is brought to you as a public service by attorney Paul Stanko, Indiana DUI DWI OWI Drunk Driving defense lawyer.

Call Toll Free (888) 778-2656 or email indianadui@yahoo.com for a

FREE, No Obligation, completely confidential initial consultation

concerning your Porter County (Valparaiso, Portage) Indiana DUI case.

I. Overview

Porter County Courthouse North - Portage

Porter County Courthouse - Valparaiso

DUI DWI OWI cases in Porter County are filed in Superior Courts #3 or #6 in Portage or Superior Court #4 in Valparaiso, depending upon which police agency made the arrest. This is regulated by local rules.

Superior Court #4 holds court in the Porter County Courthouse in Valparaiso. Superior Courts #3 and #6 hold court in the Porter County Government Center in Portage.

II. Court-specific information

For your convenience, contact information concerning Porter County's DUI courts is presented below:

Porter Superior Court #3

Hon. Julia M. Jent, Judge

3560 Willowcreek Road

Portage, IN 46368

Phone: (219) 759-8232

Fax: (219) 759-6852

Porter Superior Court #4

Hon. David L. Chidester, Judge

16 Lincolnway, # 228

Valparaiso, IN 46383

Phone: (219) 465-3412

Fax: (219) 465-3671

Porter Superior Court #6

Hon. Jeffrey L. Thode, Judge

3560 Willowcreek Road

Portage, IN 46368

Phone: (219) 759-8202

Fax: (219) 759-6039

III. Case Management, Procedures and Scheduling

A. Initial Hearing.

At your initial hearing, the court officially informs you of your constitutional rights and the charges against you, enters your not guilty plea, and sets future court dates. You should never plead guilty at your initial hearing unless you have an attorney with you and have negotiated an acceptable plea agreement.

You must appear in court for your initial hearing whether you have an attorney or not. An exception can be made if the charge is only a misdemeanor and if your attorney has had you complete an Acknowledgement of Administrative License Suspension and filed this with the Court (along with your �pink slip� Receipt for License) before the initial hearing date.

Regardless whether your case is a misdemeanor or felony, it is wise to obtain DUI counsel before the initial hearing date.

B. Your constitutional rights.

These are your constitutional rights, as provided by Indiana law (verbatim excerpt from Indiana Code):

IC 35-33-7-5 Informing of accused

At the initial hearing of a person, the judicial officer shall inform him orally or in writing:

(1) that he has a right to retain counsel and if he intends to retain counsel he must do so within:

(A) twenty (20) days if the person is charged with a felony; or

(B) ten (10) days if the person is charged only with one (1) or more misdemeanors;

after this initial hearing because there are deadlines for filing motions and raising defenses, and if those deadlines are missed, the legal issues and defenses that could have been raised will be waived;

(2) that he has a right to assigned counsel at no expense to him if he is indigent;

(3) that he has a right to a speedy trial;

(4) of the amount and conditions of bail;

(5) of his privilege against self-incrimination;

(6) of the nature of the charge against him; and

(7) that a preliminary plea of not guilty is being entered for him and the preliminary plea of not guilty will become a formal plea of not guilty:

(A) twenty (20) days after the completion of the initial hearing; or

(B) ten (10) days after the completion of the initial hearing if the person is charged only with one (1) or more misdemeanors;

unless the defendant enters a different plea.

In addition, the judge shall direct the prosecuting attorney to give the defendant or his attorney a copy of any formal felony charges filed or ready to be filed. The judge shall, upon request of the defendant, direct the prosecuting attorney to give the defendant or his attorney a copy of any formal misdemeanor charges filed or ready to be filed.

C. Other Court Dates.

If your case is not resolved at the Initial Hearing, subsequent hearings such as pretrial conferences will be set before any trial date. It is essential that you have counsel for any of these subsequent court dates.

IV. Following are links to some official sites for Porter County and its major municipalities:

Porter County

http://www.porterco.org/

Porter County Courts:

http://www.in.gov/judiciary/porter/

Porter County Prosecutor:

Porter County Prosecutor

City of Valparaiso (County Seat):

http://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/

City of Portage:

http://www.ci.portage.in.us/

Town of Chesterton:

http://www.chesterton.net/

Town of Porter:

http://www.townofporter.com/

Town of Hebron:

http://www.visithebron.org/

Town of Kouts:

http://www.kouts.org/

Communities in Porter County include the following:

Beverly Shores, Burns Harbor, Chesterton, Dune Acres, Hebron, Kouts, Ogden Dunes, Portage, Porter, Town of Pines, Valparaiso

Unincorporated areas include:

Aylesworth, Babcock, Beatrice, Beverly Hill, Blackhawk Beach, Boone Grove, Brummitt Acres, Burdick, Burlington Beach, Clanricarde, Coburg, Coolwood Acres, Crestview, Crocker, Edgewater, Five Points Corner, Furnessville, Garyton, Graham Woods, Haglund, Hillcrest, Hurlburt, Lake Eliza, Lakes of the Four Seasons, Lake View, Lincoln Hills, Long Lake Island, Malden, Marian Manor, Northwood Park, Porter Crossroads, Roble Woods, Sedley, South Haven, Suman, Sylvan Manor, Tratebas Mill, Tremont, Wake Robin Fields, Westhill, Wheeler, Woodville