City Court - William J. Longer, Judge

Court Hours

Court is held on Monday evenings at 6 p.m., Wednesday afternoons at 1 p.m. (Eviction and Civil filings) and Thursday mornings at 9 a.m. Holidays court is not in session include: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day.

Jurisdiction

Hobart City Court has jurisdiction over all ordinance violations for the city (I.C. 33-35-2-3) and countywide jurisdiction over infractions, such as speeding tickets (I.C. 33-35-2-3, 8 ) and misdemeanors. Misdemeanors are crimes with a maximum jail sentence of not more than one year (I.C. 33-35-2-3, 8). Examples of misdemeanors are conversion, operating while intoxicated, and public intoxication.

The City Court also has the same civil jurisdiction as the Circuit Court, for cases involving amounts of not more than $6,000 (I.C. 33-35-2-5). The City Court does not have jurisdiction over cases involving slander, libel, foreclosure of mortgages, cases involving estates or guardianship’s, or actions in equity (I.C. 33-35-2-6).

The Hobart City Court is not a court of record, and it does not have small claims jurisdiction. Cases heard are subject to the formal rules of evidence and procedure.

History

Hobart City Court has been in existence since 1960. The first judge of the city court, Anthony J. Cefali, served for a total of 28 years. Local Attorney Ervin Carstensen served four years as city judge in the 1960s. The current judge, William J. Longer, has served as judge of the Hobart City Court since 1992, and is currently in his eighth term.

COVID-19

PRE-EVICTION DIVERSION PROGRAM

Order Amending Pre-Eviction Diversion Program

HOOSIER HOUSING HELP

Hoosier Housing Help is Indiana's key resource for landlords and tenants.

**The online docket information is generally accurate but is not the official record of the court.