1. (a) Except for a claim between landlord and tenant, a case within the jurisdiction of a small claims court may be:

   1. (1) venued;
   2. (2) commenced; and

   3. (3) decided;

      in any township small claims court within the county. However, upon a motion for change of venue filed by the defendant within ten (10) days of service of the summons, the township small claims court shall determine in accordance with subsection (b) whether required venue lies with the court or with another small claims court in the county in which the small claims court action was filed.

2. (b) The venue determination to be made under subsection (a) must be made in the following order:

   1. (1) In an action upon a debt or account, venue is in the township where any defendant has consented to venue in a writing signed by the defendant.
   2. (2) Venue is in the township where a transaction or occurrence giving rise to any part of the claim took place.

   3. (3) Venue is in the township (in a county of the small claims court) where the greater percentage of individual defendants included in the complaint resides, or, if there is not a greater percentage, the place where any individual named as a defendant:

      1. (A) resides;
      2. (B) owns real estate; or
      3. (C) rents an apartment or real estate or where the principal office or place of business of any defendant is located.
   4. (4) Venue is in the township where the claim was filed if there is no other township in the county in which the small claims court sits in which required venue lies.
3. (c) Venue of any claim between landlord and tenant must be in the township where the real estate is located.

4. (d) If a written motion challenging venue is received by the small claims court, the court shall rule whether required venue lies in the township of filing.

   [Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-11.6-4-1.]

As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.13.