Terms Used In Indiana Code 5-15-2-8

  • Clerk: means the clerk of the court or a person authorized to perform the clerk's duties. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • 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
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
   Sec. 8. Whenever any record of any court of this state, or any pleading or paper of the files of such court, any probated will or will filed for probate, or any execution or decretal order or other writ issued out of such court, or by the clerk thereof, has been lost or destroyed, in whole or in part, and such lost or destroyed record, paper, will, order or writ in any way forms a part of the evidence of any title to or interest in any real estate, either legal or equitable, any person holding such title to or interest in such real estate may, by complaint in the proper court of the county in which such real estate is situated, have his title to or interest in such real estate declared quieted and set at rest. All persons having or claiming any interest in such real estate shall be made defendants to such complaint and shall be served with notice as provided in section 3 of this chapter. The complaint shall specify the plaintiff‘s title to or interest in the real estate and shall state with reasonable certainty the record, paper, order, will or writ lost or destroyed and how the same constitutes a part of the evidence of his title to or interest in such real estate. Upon the trial of such cause, oral testimony shall be admitted of the loss or destruction, and the contents of such records, papers, wills, orders, or writs so lost or destroyed; and such rule of evidence shall be applicable to every part of such records, papers, orders, wills, or writs, the issuing of such writs, and other process of such courts, and the returns thereon, notices by publication and the proof thereof.

Formerly: Acts 1881, c.30, s.8. As amended by P.L.25-1986, SEC.86.