1. (a) No later than fifteen (15) days before the advertised date of the tax sale, the court shall examine the list of tracts and real property as provided under section 4.6 of this chapter. No later than three (3) days before the advertised date of the tax sale, the court shall enter judgment for those taxes, special assessments, penalties, and costs that appear to be due. This judgment is considered as a judgment against each tract or item of real property for each kind of tax, special assessment, penalty, or cost included in it. The affidavit provided under section 4.6 of this chapter is prima facie evidence of delinquency for purposes of proceedings under this section. The court shall also direct the clerk to prepare and enter an order for the sale of those tracts and real property against which judgment is entered, except as provided in subsection (j).

2. (b) If written objections are timely filed, the court shall conduct a hearing on the written objections not later than seven (7) days before the advertised date of the tax sale. At the hearing, the court shall hear any defense offered by any person interested in any of the tracts or items of real property to the entry of judgment against them, hear and determine the matter in a summary manner, without pleadings, and enter its judgment. The court shall enter a judgment under this subsection not later than three (3) days before the advertised date of the tax sale. The objection must be in writing, and no person may offer any defense unless the writing specifying the objection is accompanied by an original or a duplicate tax receipt or other supporting documentation. At least seven (7) days before the date set for the hearing, notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing shall be provided by the court to the following:

   1. (1) Any person filing a defense to the application for judgment and order of sale.
   2. (2) Any person with a substantial property interest of record in a property certified not suitable for tax sale under IC 6-1.1-24-1.7 .
3. (c) If judgment is entered in favor of the respondent under these proceedings or if judgment is not entered for any particular tract, part of a tract, or items of real property because of an unresolved objection made under subsection (b), the court shall remove those tracts, parts of tracts, or items of real property from the list of tracts and real property provided under section 4.6 of this chapter.

4. (d) A judgment and order for sale shall contain the final listing of affected properties and the name of at least one (1) of the owners of each tract or item of real property, and shall substantially follow this form:

   "Whereas, notice has been given of the intended application for a judgment against these tracts and real property, and no sufficient defense has been made or cause has been shown why judgment should not be entered against these tracts for taxes, and real property special assessments, penalties, and costs due and unpaid on them, therefore it is considered by the court that judgment is hereby entered against the below listed tracts and real property in favor of the state of Indiana for the amount of taxes, special assessments, penalties, and costs due severally on them; and it is ordered by the court that the several tracts or items of real property be sold as the law directs. Payments for taxes, special assessments, penalties, and costs made after this judgment but before the sale shall reduce the judgment accordingly.".

5. (e) The order of the court constitutes the list of tracts and real property that shall be offered for sale under section 5 of this chapter.
6. (f) The court that enters judgment under this section shall retain exclusive continuing supervisory jurisdiction over all matters and claims relating to the tax sale.
7. (g) No error or informality in the proceedings of any of the officers connected with the assessment, levying, or collection of the taxes that does not affect the substantial justice of the tax itself shall invalidate or in any manner affect the tax or the assessment, levying, or collection of the tax.
8. (h) Any irregularity, informality, omission, or defective act of one (1) or more officers connected with the assessment or levying of the taxes may be, in the discretion of the court, corrected, supplied, and made to conform to law by the court, or by the officer (in the presence of the court).

9. (i) At the hearing required by subsection (b), the court shall hear and determine whether properties certified by the county executive under section 1.7 of this chapter are not suitable for tax sale. The court shall determine a property to be not suitable for tax sale if the property:

   1. (1) contains hazardous waste or another environmental hazard; or

   2. (2) has unsafe building conditions;

      for which the cost of abatement or remediation will exceed the fair market value of the property.

10. (j) The judgment and order described in subsection (d) must also identify any properties that the court has determined to not be suitable for tax sale. Judgment shall be entered against these properties as provided in this section, but an order for the sale of these properties may not be entered. As to these properties, the judgment and order shall state in substantially the following form:

    "Whereas, this court having entered judgment against these tracts and real property, and the court having found that these properties are not suitable for tax sale, it is ordered that, notwithstanding the aforementioned judgment and order, the following tracts shall not be offered for sale under IC 6-1.1-24-5 , but may be disposed of by the county executive as provided in IC 6-1.1-24-4.7 (k).".

11. (k) The county executive has the same rights in a property determined by the court to be not suitable for tax sale as the county executive has in a property that is offered for sale at a tax sale but for which an amount greater than or equal to the minimum sale price is not received, and may dispose of the property as provided in this chapter. If the property is disposed of by the county executive any time within three (3) years after the conclusion of the tax sale at which the property would have been offered for sale but for the determination in subsection (i), the proceeds of the disposition shall be applied in accordance with IC 6-1.1-25-9 (a).

As added by P.L.83-1989, SEC.10. Amended by P.L.50-1990, SEC.8; P.L.39-1994, SEC.8; P.L.169-2006, SEC.20; P.L.247-2015, SEC.15; P.L.251-2015, SEC.6.