Opinion ID: 2232272
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jurisdiction of Regular Judge

Text: The defendant first argues that Judge Martin, the special judge who presided in the post-conviction proceedings, should have retained jurisdiction following remand, and that Judge Gettinger, the regular judge of the court, lacked jurisdiction to conduct the resentencing hearing and to enter the sentencing order. The defendant's contention is based on Ind. Trial Rule 79(15): Except as permitted by Trial Rule 76(1), unless the special judge is unavailable by reason of death, sickness, absence or unwillingness to act, the jurisdiction of a special judge shall continue in all proceedings filed under a given cause number, including without limitation, proceedings to enforce the judgment or to modify or revoke orders pertaining to custody, visitation, support, maintenance and property dispositions and for post-conviction relief. The State counters that a special judge selected for a post-conviction proceeding has jurisdiction only over the post-conviction portion of a cause, citing State ex rel. Sufana v. Superior Court of Lake County (1978), 269 Ind. 466, 381 N.E.2d 475, and Weatherford v. State (1987), Ind., 512 N.E.2d 862. The defendant argues that, unlike Sufana and Weatherford, because the resentencing from which he now appeals was a result of post-conviction proceedings presided over by the special judge, the special judge retained jurisdiction over the resentencing hearing itself. We reject the defendant's contention. Our T.R. 79(15) is intended to provide for the continuing jurisdiction of a special judge in the event of subsequent post-conviction relief proceedings but not to prolong the jurisdiction of a special judge appointed for a post-conviction proceeding. The authority of such a special judge terminates with the conclusion of the post-conviction proceedings. The original trial court judge correctly reassumed jurisdiction following remand.