Sec. 3. (a) The owner of a domestic animal described in section 2 of this chapter may:

(1) tender to the person injured by the domestic animal:

Terms Used In Indiana Code 32-26-2-3

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • in writing: include printing, lithographing, or other mode of representing words and letters. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Judgment: means all final orders, decrees, and determinations in an action and all orders upon which executions may issue. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(A) any costs that have accrued; and

(B) an amount, in lieu of damage, which equals or exceeds the amount of damages awarded by the court or by a jury in an action filed to recover damages caused by the actions of the domestic animal; or

(2) offer in writing to confess judgment for the amounts set forth in subdivision (1);

before an action filed to recover damages caused by a domestic animal described in section 2 of this chapter proceeds to trial.

     (b) If the person injured by the domestic animal described in section 2 of this chapter rejects the tender or offer under subsection (a) and causes a trial for damages to proceed, the person injured:

(1) shall pay the costs of the trial; and

(2) may recover only the damages awarded.

[Pre-2002 Recodification Citation: 32-10-2-3.]

As added by P.L.2-2002, SEC.11.