Courts may consider active military orders in protection cases

Each party must tell the court about certain military protection orders. A court may consider evidence of one when deciding whether to issue or change a protection order. The disclosure duty covers orders involving a party or a child of a party in the listed proceedings. The military order must be issued by a military commander and be in effect under federal law. The court may consider it if the petitioner presents evidence that it protects the petitioner from the respondent. The disclosure duty applies at a hearing to obtain a protection order. The court may consider the evidence when deciding a request for an order or a change to one.

Indiana courts must recognize qualifying protection orders from other states, Canada, and tribal courts, and officers must enforce them as if they came from Indiana. These rules cover qualifying orders from another U.S. state, Canada, or a tribal court. The order must identify the protected person and respondent, be in effect, come from a court with authority, and meet the stated notice and hearing rules. A mutual order against someone who sought protection is not entitled to recognition unless the issuing court separately reviewed each request, decided each on its merits, and issued separate orders with specific findings. Registration or filing in Indiana is not required before enforcement. If an officer cannot enforce an otherwise valid order because the respondent has not been notified or served, the officer must provide notice and a reasonable chance to comply while protecting the person covered by the order.