Sec. 4.6. (a) After the expiration of the redemption period specified in section 4 of this chapter but not later than three (3) months after the expiration of the period of redemption:

(1) the purchaser, the purchaser's assignee, the county executive, the county executive's assignee, or the purchaser of the certificate of sale under IC 6-1.1-24-6.1 may; or

(2) in a county where the county auditor and county treasurer have an agreement under section 4.7 of this chapter, the county auditor shall, upon the request of the purchaser or the purchaser's assignee;

file a verified petition in accordance with subsection (b) in the same court in which the judgment of sale was entered asking the court to direct the county auditor to issue a tax deed if the real property is not redeemed from the sale. Notice of the filing of this petition shall be given to the same parties as provided in section 4.5 of this chapter, except that, if notice is given by publication, only one (1) publication is required. The notice required by this section is considered sufficient if the notice is sent to the address required by section 4.5(d) of this chapter. Any person owning or having an interest in the tract or item of real property may file a written objection to the petition with the court not later than thirty (30) days after the date the petition was filed. If a written objection is timely filed, the court shall conduct a hearing on the objection. If there is not a written objection that is timely filed, the court may consider the petition without conducting a hearing.

(b) Unless the county auditor and the county treasurer have entered into an agreement under section 4.7 of this chapter, a verified petition filed under subsection (a) may include the following:

(1) Copies of all notices sent under section 4.5 of this chapter.

(2) Copies of all notices sent under this section.

(3) Copies of all certified mail mailing receipts, return receipts, and returned mailing envelopes for notices sent under section 4.5 of this chapter.

(4) Copies of all certified mail mailing receipts, return receipts, and returned mailing envelopes for notices sent under this section.

(5) Copies or descriptions of the evidence used by the petitioner or the petitioner's assignor to identify the owner and other persons with a substantial property interest of public record in the real property.

(c) If the purchaser or the purchaser's assignee includes the documents described in subsection (b), the issuance of a tax deed constitutes prima facie evidence of the sale referenced in subsection (k).

(d) If a verified petition is brought by the county auditor under an agreement provided for under section 4.7 of this chapter, a tax deed constitutes prima facie evidence of the validity of the sale referenced in subsection (k) upon timely production by the county of all documents described in subsection (b) in response to a challenge to a tax deed.

(e) If the issuance of a tax deed does not constitute prima facie evidence of the validity of the sale due to the failure to comply with this section, the purchaser or the purchaser's successor has the burden of proving the validity of the sale by a preponderance of the evidence in any subsequent challenge to the sale.

(f) Not later than sixty-one (61) days after the petition is filed under subsection (a), the court shall enter an order directing the county auditor (on the production of the certificate of sale and a copy of the order) to issue to the petitioner a tax deed if the court finds that the following conditions exist:

(1) The time of redemption has expired.

(2) The tract or item of real property has not been redeemed from the sale before the expiration of the period of redemption specified in section 4 of this chapter.

(3) Except with respect to a petition for the issuance of a tax deed under a sale of the certificate of sale on the property under IC 6-1.1-24-6.1 or IC 6-1.1-24-6.8, or with respect to penalties described in section 4(j) of this chapter, all taxes and special assessments, penalties, and costs have been paid.

(4) The notices required by this section and section 4.5 of this chapter have been given.

(5) The petitioner has complied with all the provisions of law entitling the petitioner to a deed.

The county auditor shall execute deeds issued under this subsection in the name of the state under the county auditor's name. If a certificate of sale is lost before the execution of a deed, the county auditor shall issue a replacement certificate if the county auditor is satisfied that the original certificate existed.

(g) Upon application by the grantee of a valid tax deed in the same court in which the judgment of sale was entered, the court shall enter an order to place the grantee of a valid tax deed in possession of the real estate. The court may enter any orders and grant any relief that is necessary or desirable to place or maintain the grantee of a valid tax deed in possession of the real estate.

(h) Except as provided in subsections (i) and (j), if:

(1) the verified petition referred to in subsection (a) is timely filed; and

(2) the court refuses to enter an order directing the county auditor to execute and deliver the tax deed because of the failure of the petitioner under subsection (a) to fulfill the notice requirement of subsection (a);

the court shall order the return of the amount, if any, by which the purchase price exceeds the minimum bid on the property under IC 6-1.1-24-5 minus a penalty of twenty-five percent (25%) of that excess. The petitioner is prohibited from participating in any manner in the next succeeding tax sale in the county under IC 6-1.1-24. The county auditor shall deposit penalties paid under this subsection in the county general fund.

(i) Notwithstanding subsection (h), in all cases in which:

(1) the verified petition referred to in subsection (a) is timely filed;

(2) the petitioner under subsection (a) has made a bona fide attempt to comply with the statutory requirements under subsection (f) for the issuance of the tax deed but has failed to comply with these requirements;

(3) the court refuses to enter an order directing the county auditor to execute and deliver the tax deed because of the failure to comply with these requirements; and

(4) the purchaser, the purchaser's successors or assignees, or the purchaser of the certificate of sale under IC 6-1.1-24 files a claim with the county auditor for refund not later than thirty (30) days after the entry of the order of the court refusing to direct the county auditor to execute and deliver the tax deed;

the county auditor shall not execute the deed but shall refund the purchase money minus a penalty of twenty-five percent (25%) of the purchase money from the county treasury to the purchaser, the purchaser's successors or assignees, or the purchaser of the certificate of sale under IC 6-1.1-24. The county auditor shall deposit penalties paid under this subsection in the county general fund. All the delinquent taxes and special assessments shall then be reinstated and recharged to the tax duplicate and collected in the same manner as if the property had not been offered for sale. The tract or item of real property, if it is then eligible for sale under IC 6-1.1-24, shall be placed on the delinquent list as an initial offering under IC 6-1.1-24.

(j) Notwithstanding subsections (h) and (i), the court shall not order the return of the purchase price or any part of the purchase price if:

(1) the purchaser or the purchaser of the certificate of sale under IC 6-1.1-24 has failed to provide notice or has provided insufficient notice as required by section 4.5 of this chapter; and

(2) the sale is otherwise valid.

(k) A tax deed executed under this section vests in the grantee an estate in fee simple absolute, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances created or suffered before or after the tax sale except those liens granted priority under federal law, and the lien of the state or a political subdivision for taxes and special assessments that accrue subsequent to the sale. However, the estate is subject to all easements, covenants, declarations, and other deed restrictions and laws governing land use, including all zoning restrictions and liens and encumbrances created or suffered by the purchaser at the tax sale. Except as provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e), the deed is prima facie evidence of:

(1) the regularity of the sale of the real property described in the deed;

(2) the regularity of all proper proceedings; and

(3) valid title in fee simple in the grantee of the deed.

(l) A tax deed issued under this section is incontestable except by appeal from the order of the court directing the county auditor to issue the tax deed filed not later than sixty (60) days after the date of the court's order.

As added by P.L.83-1989, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.62-1991, SEC.4; P.L.61-1991, SEC.3; P.L.1-1992, SEC.17; P.L.12-1992, SEC.25; P.L.69-1993, SEC.4; P.L.39-1994, SEC.18; P.L.88-1995, SEC.8; P.L.90-1995, SEC.1; P.L.2-1996, SEC.218; P.L.139-2001, SEC.17; P.L.170-2003, SEC.12; P.L.97-2004, SEC.23; P.L.169-2006, SEC.30; P.L.89-2007, SEC.10; P.L.56-2012, SEC.15; P.L.118-2013, SEC.8; P.L.66-2014, SEC.15; P.L.251-2015, SEC.22; P.L.236-2015, SEC.5; P.L.183-2016, SEC.7; P.L.32-2017, SEC.2.