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Ask the Right Office: Indiana

Pick a problem to see the office, the official rule, the deadlines and who must file. Then fill in a plain-English letter in your browser, print or save it as a PDF, and add a follow-up date to your calendar.

What this page can and can't tell you

Can: Which office to write to and how to put together a clear letter.

Can't: It can't give an official release date, say whether a specific person qualifies, or give legal advice. Only the DOC, the board or a court decides.

A letter doesn't replace the required official grievance form or procedure, and those have deadlines. If you're worried about retaliation, keep copies and dates of everything you send, and tell the person's attorney or a legal aid office if anything changes afterward.

Free legal help: Legal Services Corporation: find legal aid (civil matters). For criminal cases, ask the public defender's office that handled the case.






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Indiana at a glance

ProblemOfficeDeadline to fileResponse deadline
Time calculation reviewOffender Grievance Specialist (State Form 45471), after an informal grievanceInformal grievance within 10 business days of the event; formal grievance within 10 business days of the event.Informal: 10 business days. Formal: 20 business days from acceptance.
Credit (good time) disputeOffender Grievance Specialist (State Form 45471), after an informal grievanceInformal grievance within 10 business days of the event; formal grievance within 10 business days of the event.Informal: 10 business days. Formal: 20 business days from acceptance.
Medical request or complaintOffender Grievance Specialist (State Form 45471), after an informal grievanceInformal grievance within 10 business days of the event; formal grievance within 10 business days of the event.Informal: 10 business days. Formal: 20 business days from acceptance.
Visit or mail denial appealOffender Grievance Specialist (State Form 45471), after an informal grievanceInformal grievance within 10 business days of the event; formal grievance within 10 business days of the event.Informal: 10 business days. Formal: 20 business days from acceptance.
Records requestThe records custodian at the agency that keeps the recordNo filing deadline in the statute.Mailed or faxed requests: 7 days after receipt before no answer counts as a denial. In-person or phone requests: 24 hours.
Parole fileOffender Grievance Specialist (State Form 45471), after an informal grievanceInformal grievance within 10 business days of the event; formal grievance within 10 business days of the event.Informal: 10 business days. Formal: 20 business days from acceptance.
Disability (ADA) accommodationOffender Grievance Specialist (State Form 45471), after an informal grievanceInformal grievance within 10 business days of the event; formal grievance within 10 business days of the event.Informal: 10 business days. Formal: 20 business days from acceptance.
Transfer or classificationNot publishedNot publishedNot published

Grievance rule: IDOC Policy 00-02-301, Offender Grievance Process (effective 12/1/2025) (opens in new tab). Records: Ind. Code § 5-14-3-9 (Access to Public Records Act) (opens in new tab). Who files a grievance: The offender.

Not legal advice. Rules change and facilities may add local steps; the official text controls. Missing a deadline can end a claim. Find free legal aid (LSC) (opens in new tab). Last checked .

Other states · Indiana credit rules · Check a release calculation · Release countdown · What do I do now?

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