(a) A court having jurisdiction over the subject matter and the parties to a proposed complaint filed with the commissioner under this article may, upon the filing of a copy of the proposed complaint and a written motion under this chapter, do one (1) or both of the following:
- (1) preliminarily determine an affirmative defense or issue of law or fact that may be preliminarily determined under the Indiana Rules of Procedure; or
- (2) compel discovery in accordance with the Indiana Rules of Procedure.
- (b) The court has no jurisdiction to rule preliminarily upon any affirmative defense or issue of law or fact reserved for written opinion by the medical review panel under IC 34-18-10-22 (b)(1), IC 34-18-10-22 (b)(2), and IC 34-18-10-22 (b)(4).
- (c) The court has jurisdiction to entertain a motion filed under this chapter only during that time after a proposed complaint is filed with the commissioner under this article but before the medical review panel gives the panel's written opinion under IC 34-18-10-22 .
(d) The failure of any party to move for a preliminary determination or to compel discovery under this chapter before the medical review panel gives the panel's written opinion under IC 34-18-10-22 does not constitute the waiver of any affirmative defense or issue of law or fact.
[Pre-1998 Recodification Citation: 27-12-11-1.]
As added by P.L.1-1998, SEC.13.