Sec. 10. (a) A remonstrance under section 8 of this chapter must be in the following or a substantially similar 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 shall have attached to it the affidavit of the person circulating it that each signature appearing on the remonstrance was affixed in the presence of the person circulating the petition and is the true and lawful signature of the person who made the signature. The person who makes the affidavit does not have to be one (1) of the persons 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 (who shall be treated as a representative of the entire class of remonstrators) and signed by the remonstrator or the remonstrator's attorney, stating 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 corporation.

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

(4) The:

(A) disposition of assets and liabilities of the losing school corporation;

(B) allocation of school tax receipts between the acquiring school corporation and the losing school corporation; and

(C) amount to be paid by the acquiring school corporation as set out in the annexation resolution;

are inequitable. Except with respect to subdivision (1), the allegations may be made in the statutory language.

(b) The plaintiff in a remonstrance under section 8 of this chapter must be the person whose name appears on the complaint. The defendants in a remonstrance under section 8 of this chapter shall be both the acquiring school corporation and the losing school corporation. Service of process shall be made on the defendants as in other civil actions.

(c) To determine if a petition was timely filed, the time of filing is the time of filing with the clerk 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 shall be extended to the next day when the office is open.

(d) The issues in a remonstrance under section 8 of this chapter are made up by the complaint. The allegations in the complaint shall be treated as denied by each defendant. A responsive pleading may not be filed except that any defendant may, if appropriate, file a motion to dismiss the remonstrance on the ground that:

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

(2) the remonstrance was not timely filed; or

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

A responsive pleading to this motion may not be filed. With respect to a motion under subdivisions (1) and (2), the allegations of the pleading shall be treated as denied by the remonstrators. To determine whether there are the requisite number of qualified remonstrators, a person may not withdraw the person's name after a remonstrance has been filed or add the person's name to the remonstrance. Any person may, however, at the trial of the cause and in support or derogation of the substantive matters in the complaint, introduce into evidence a verified statement that the person wishes the person's name added to or withdrawn from the remonstrance. The court may either hear all or a part of the matters raised by the motion to dismiss separately or may consolidate for trial all or a part of the matters with the matters relating to the substance of the case. A complaint may not be dismissed for failure to state a cause of action if a fair reading of the complaint supports one (1) of the grounds for remonstrance provided in subsection (a). The court may permit an amendment of the complaint if the amendment does not state a new ground of remonstrance.

(e) The trial of a remonstrance shall be conducted as other civil cases by the court without the intervention of a jury on the issues raised by the complaint or a motion to dismiss, or both. A change of venue from a judge may be permitted. A change of venue from the county may not be permitted. The court shall expedite the hearing of the case. The court's judgment, except with respect to any matter raised under subsection (a)(4), shall be either that:

(1) the annexation shall take place;

(2) the annexation shall not take place; or

(3) the remonstrance shall be dismissed.

If the court finds that the remonstrators have proved any of the reasons for the remonstrance described in subsection (a)(1) through (a)(4), the court's judgment shall be that the annexation may not take place. Unless the remonstrators have proved at least one (1) of the reasons for a remonstrance described in subsection (a)(1) through (a)(4), the court's judgment shall be that the annexation shall take place. With respect to any matter raised under subsection (a)(4), the court's judgment may be either that the disposition, allocation, and amount set out in the annexing resolution is equitable or that it is inequitable. In the latter event, the court in the court's judgment shall provide for an equitable disposition, allocation, and amount. Costs shall 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: 20-4-4-5.]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.7.