Though a bill specifically created to establish a new court for Owen County never got a hearing, the county should still get a second judge next year.
Instead of Representative Bob Heaton's bill passing, a Senate bill creating new courts for Owen, Hendricks and Hamilton Counties has been passed by both houses of the Indiana General Assembly.
Owen County's courthouse has had just a single judge for all of its more than 100 years in existence, but county officials had complained in recent years of wait times exceeding 12 months to hear some cases. The new law, if signed by Governor Mike Pence, would take effect January first.