Northern District of Indiana Federal Court: Divisions, Rules and Defenders

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana is the federal trial court for 32 counties in northern Indiana, including Lake, Porter, St. Joseph, Elkhart and Allen counties (28 U.S.C. § 94(a)). It has three divisions, with courthouses in Hammond, South Bend and Fort Wayne. Here is where the court sits, who prosecutes and defends cases there, and its local criminal rules.

We handle federal cases nationwide.

Where does the court sit?

The district has three divisions. Court for the Hammond Division is held at Hammond and Lafayette, court for the South Bend Division at South Bend, and court for the Fort Wayne Division at Fort Wayne (28 U.S.C. § 94(a)). The court's site lists these locations and the counties each one serves:

Hammond
5400 Federal Plaza, Suite 2300. Lake and Porter counties.
Lafayette
Benton, Carroll, Jasper, Newton, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties. The court closed its Lafayette clerk's office on May 31, 2024, and moved in-person services to Hammond. New cases from these counties still get Lafayette case numbers.
South Bend
204 S. Main Street. Cass, Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall, Miami, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke and Wabash counties.
Fort Wayne
1300 S. Harrison Street. Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Jay, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells and Whitley counties.

United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

Which appeals court covers it?

Appeals from this court go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (28 U.S.C. §§ 41, 1294(1)). Its decisions are binding on the federal judges in this district, so its precedent governs cases here (uscourts.gov, About the U.S. Courts of Appeals).

Our Seventh Circuit appeals guide covers deadlines and the court’s own rules for criminal appeals.

Who prosecutes and who defends?

Federal prosecutors here work for the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana, part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Anyone charged with a federal crime who can’t afford a lawyer can ask the court to appoint one (18 U.S.C. § 3006A). Here, appointed lawyers come from the Northern District of Indiana Federal Community Defenders, a Community Defender organization with offices in Fort Wayne, Hammond and South Bend, or from a panel of private lawyers the court approves.

Where are the local rules and sentencing procedures?

Every federal court follows the national rules, such as the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, plus its own local rules. This court publishes them on its local rules page.

The local criminal rules have no separate presentence report rule, so the federal rule sets the schedule: the report goes to the defense at least 35 days before sentencing, and objections are due within 14 days (Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(e)(2), (f)). Local Criminal Rule 47-1 says a motion to continue is granted only if the delay fits the Speedy Trial Act, and the motion must come with a proposed order that states the findings.

“The moving party must submit with the motion a proposed entry with findings about the applicable ends of justice or any other reason the continuance will not violate the Speedy Trial Act.”
N.D. Ind. L. Cr. R. 47-1(b)

Is Brandon Sample admitted in this court?

Yes. Brandon Sample is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. He has also handled federal cases in courts across the country.

Which federal prisons are in this district?

The bop.gov location list shows no Bureau of Prisons facility in this district. The BOP prisons in Indiana, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, are in the Southern District of Indiana.

The BOP decides where each person sentenced here serves the sentence, and by law it tries to place people within 500 driving miles of home when it can (18 U.S.C. § 3621(b)).

A prison being in this district doesn’t mean someone sentenced here will go there. The Bureau of Prisons decides where each person serves their sentence (18 U.S.C. § 3621(b)).

What should you know about a federal case in this district?

The first hearing comes fast. After an arrest, the person goes before a magistrate judge without unnecessary delay for an initial appearance (Fed. R. Crim. P. 5(a)). The judge decides whether they stay in custody while the case goes on (18 U.S.C. § 3142).
Most felony cases start with an indictment. A grand jury decides in private whether to approve the charges (Fed. R. Crim. P. 6, 7).
The presentence report matters. A federal probation officer writes a report on the offense and the person’s life before sentencing, and the defense can object to mistakes in it (Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(c)–(f)). Check this court’s schedule above.
The judge decides the sentence. The judge must consider the Sentencing Guidelines and the factors in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), including the person’s history and background. Family and friends can write letters; there is no limit on the background information a judge may consider (18 U.S.C. § 3661).
The appeal clock is short. A defendant’s notice of appeal is usually due within 14 days after the judgment is entered (Fed. R. App. P. 4(b)(1)(A)).
Prison phones and email are monitored. Don’t discuss the case on them (28 C.F.R. § 540.102).

How a federal criminal case works →

Questions about the Northern District of Indiana

Which courthouse will a Northern District of Indiana case be in?

It depends on the county. The court's site assigns Lake and Porter counties to Hammond; Tippecanoe and six other counties to Lafayette, whose cases are now handled through the Hammond clerk's office; St. Joseph, Elkhart and nine other counties to South Bend; and Allen and 11 other counties to Fort Wayne. The divisions themselves are set by 28 U.S.C. § 94(a).

How early must a motion to quash a grand jury subpoena be filed here?

At least seven days before the appearance or production date, unless there is good cause. Under N.D. Ind. L. Cr. R. 6-1(d), a challenge to a grand jury subpoena before indictment must be in writing, filed with the clerk and served on the United States. Magistrate judges may decide these motions.

Who represents people here who can't afford a lawyer?

The court can appoint a lawyer (18 U.S.C. § 3006A). In this district, appointed lawyers come from the Northern District of Indiana Federal Community Defenders, which has offices in Fort Wayne, Hammond and South Bend, or from a panel of private lawyers the court approves.

Where do appeals from this court go?

To the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (28 U.S.C. §§ 41, 1294(1)). A defendant's notice of appeal is usually due within 14 days after the judgment is entered (Fed. R. App. P. 4(b)(1)(A)).

Sources

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Federal cases in the Northern District of Indiana