Sec. 9. (a) If the enforcement authority finds it necessary to take emergency action concerning an unsafe premises in order to protect life, safety, or property, it may take that action without issuing an order or giving notice. However, this emergency action must be limited to removing any immediate danger.

     (b) The department, acting through the enforcement authority, may recover the costs incurred by the enforcement authority in taking emergency action, by filing a civil action in the circuit court or superior court of the county against the persons who held a fee interest, life estate interest, or equitable interest of a contract purchaser in the unsafe premises at the time the enforcement authority found it necessary to take emergency action. The department is not liable for the costs of this civil action.

Terms Used In Indiana Code 36-7-9-9

  • Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Department: refers to the executive department authorized by ordinance to administer this chapter. See Indiana Code 36-7-9-2
  • Enforcement authority: refers to the chief administrative officer of the department, except in a consolidated city. See Indiana Code 36-7-9-2
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Hearing authority: refers to a person or persons designated as such by the executive of a city or county, or by the legislative body of a town. See Indiana Code 36-7-9-2
  • Known or recorded substantial property interest: means any right in real property, including a fee interest, a life estate interest, a future interest, a mortgage interest, a lien as evidenced by a certificate of sale issued under Indiana Code 36-7-9-2
  • Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
     (c) If an unsafe premises poses an immediate danger to the life or safety of persons occupying or using nearby property, the enforcement authority may, without following this chapter’s requirements for issuing an order and giving notice, take emergency action to require persons to vacate and not use the nearby property until the danger has passed. However, any person required to vacate an unsafe premises under this subsection may challenge in an emergency court proceeding the enforcement authority’s determination that the premises poses an immediate danger to the life or safety of any person. In an emergency court proceeding, the enforcement authority has the burden of proving that emergency action is necessary to protect from immediate danger the life or safety of persons occupying or using nearby property.

     (d) Instead of filing a civil action to recover the costs incurred by the enforcement authority in taking emergency action, the enforcement authority may set a hearing for the hearing authority to review the necessity of the emergency action and the amount of the costs of the emergency action. Notice of the hearing must be provided to each person with a known or recorded substantial property interest in the unsafe premises. If the emergency action or the costs of the emergency action are determined by the hearing authority to have been an abuse of discretion or otherwise unlawful, the hearing authority may reduce or deny the costs of the emergency action as warranted under the circumstances; otherwise, the hearing authority shall affirm the costs of the emergency action. The amount of the costs affirmed by the hearing authority may then be collected as provided in sections 12 through 13.5 of this chapter.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citation: 18-5-5.5-10.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.28. Amended by P.L.59-1986, SEC.8; P.L.247-2015, SEC.45.

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