Sec. 14. (a) A remonstrance under section 11 or 12 of this chapter must be in substantially the following form:

The undersigned hereby remonstrate against the annexation of the following described territory situated in ________ County, Indiana, whereby it would be transferred from ___________ (the losing corporation) to ____________ (the acquiring corporation):

(Description of the annexed territory sufficient to identify it.)

The remonstrance may be filed in any number of counterparts. Each counterpart must have attached to it the affidavit of the individual circulating the counterpart that affirms that each signature appearing on the counterpart was affixed in the presence of the individual circulating the counterpart and that each signature is the true and lawful signature of the individual who made it. The individual who makes the affidavit is not required to be one (1) of the individuals who signs the counterpart to which the affidavit is attached. The remonstrance must be accompanied by a complaint filed by one (1) or more of the remonstrators. The individual or individuals who file the complaint must be treated as a representative of the entire class of remonstrators and must sign the complaint individually or have their respective attorneys sign it. The complaint must state the reasons for the remonstrance. The reasons for the remonstrance are limited to the following:

(1) There is a procedural defect in the manner in which the annexation is carried out that is jurisdictional.

(2) The annexed territory does not form a compact area abutting the acquiring school corporation.

(3) The losing school corporation is left with no high school facilities, or its enrollment after annexation will be less than one thousand (1,000) students. This subdivision does not provide a basis for a remonstrance if the annexation includes all of the territory of the losing school corporation.

(4) The benefits to be derived from the annexation are outweighed by the detriments after consideration of the respective benefits and detriments to the schools, the students residing in the acquiring school corporation, the students residing in the losing school corporation, and the students residing in the annexed territory.

(5) The disposition of assets and liabilities of the losing corporation, the allocation of school tax receipts between the two (2) school corporations, and the amount to be paid by the acquiring school corporation as set out in the annexation resolution are inequitable.

Except for subdivision (1), each allegation enumerated under this subsection may be made in the statutory language.

(b) The plaintiff in a remonstrance suit is the individual whose name appears on the complaint and may be the losing school corporation in a remonstrance under section 12 of this chapter. The defendants in a remonstrance under section 11 of this chapter are the acquiring school corporation and the losing school corporation. The defendant in a remonstrance under section 12 of this chapter is the acquiring school corporation. Service of process shall be made on each defendant in the manner required in other civil actions.

(c) To determine if a petition is timely filed, the time of filing is the time of filing with the clerk of the circuit court without regard to the time of issuance of the summons. If the thirtieth day falls on Sunday, a holiday, or any other day when the clerk's office is not open, the time for filing must be extended to the next day when the clerk's office is open.

(d) The issues in a remonstrance suit are made up by the allegations in the complaint that are denied by each defendant. A responsive pleading does not need to be filed. A defendant may file a motion to dismiss the suit on the ground that the:

(1) requisite number of qualified remonstrators have not signed the petition;

(2) remonstrance was not timely filed; or

(3) complaint does not state a cause of action.

A responsive pleading to a motion to dismiss does not need to be filed. With respect to a motion under subdivisions (1) and (2), the allegations are considered denied by the remonstrators. In order to determine whether there are the requisite number of qualified remonstrators, an individual is not entitled to withdraw the individual's name after a remonstrance is filed, and an individual is not entitled to add the individual's name to the remonstrance after the remonstrance is filed. An individual may, however, at a remonstrance trial, in support or derogation of the substantive matters in the complaint, introduce into evidence a verified statement that the individual wishes to add or withdraw the individual's name from the remonstrance. The court may hear all or part of the matters raised by the motion to dismiss separately, or the court may consolidate all or part of the matters in the motion to dismiss with matters relating to the substance of the case for trial. A complaint may not be dismissed for failure to state a cause of action if a fair reading of the complaint makes out one (1) of the grounds for remonstrance and suit provided in subsection (a). An amendment of the complaint may be permitted in the discretion of the court if the amendment does not state a new ground of remonstrance.

(e) A remonstrance trial must be conducted in the same manner as other civil cases by the court without the intervention of a jury on the issues raised by a complaint or a motion to dismiss, or both. A change of venue from a judge is permitted, but a change of venue from the county is not permitted. The court shall expedite the hearing of the case. A court's judgment, except with respect to a matter raised under subsection (a)(5), must be that the:

(1) annexation will take place;

(2) annexation will not take place; or

(3) remonstrance is dismissed.

(f) If the court finds that the remonstrators have proved a reason for the remonstrance described in subsection (a)(1) through (a)(4), the court's judgment shall be that the annexation will not take place. If the remonstrators fail to prove a reason for the remonstrance described in subsection (a)(1) through (a)(4), the court's judgment shall be that the annexation will take place. If the remonstrators raise an issue under subsection (a)(5) in support of a remonstrance, the court's judgment may be either that the disposition, allocation, and amount set out in the annexing resolution are equitable or inequitable. If the court finds that the disposition, allocation, and amount set out in the annexing resolution are inequitable, the court shall provide for an equitable disposition, allocation, and amount. Costs will follow judgment. Appeals may be taken from any judgment of the court in the same manner as appeals are taken in other civil cases.

[Pre-2005 Elementary and Secondary Education Recodification Citation: 20-3-14-6.]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.9.