The Tribunal
The Tribunal is the central judicial office of the diocese which is overseen by the Judicial Vicar. The staff of specially trained canon lawyers is responsible for the work involved in assisting those who petition for annulments and dissolutions of marriage as well as assisting the Bishop in other canonical matters.
If you wish to have a previous marriage investigated by the Tribunal for the possibility of a declaration of nullity (annulment) or a dissolution (a marriage of at least one non-baptized person), please contact your parish priest who will assist you with the preparation of your case for submission to the Tribunal where the investigation will begin. A petition will be filed which includes the reasons which you believe that a partnership of life never existed in the marriage. To assist you in surfacing possible grounds for nullity, a questionnaire has been developed by the Tribunal for you to answer. All of this material is then submitted to the Tribunal to determine if sufficient proofs or grounds are present to accept the case and proceed with the inquiry.
If you have questions, please contact the Tribunal at (812) 424-5536 or (800) 637-1731.
If you wish to have a previous marriage investigated by the Tribunal for the possibility of a declaration of nullity (annulment) or a dissolution (a marriage of at least one non-baptized person), please contact your parish priest who will assist you with the preparation of your case for submission to the Tribunal where the investigation will begin. A petition will be filed which includes the reasons which you believe that a partnership of life never existed in the marriage. To assist you in surfacing possible grounds for nullity, a questionnaire has been developed by the Tribunal for you to answer. All of this material is then submitted to the Tribunal to determine if sufficient proofs or grounds are present to accept the case and proceed with the inquiry.
If you have questions, please contact the Tribunal at (812) 424-5536 or (800) 637-1731.
Tribunal Officers and Members of the Court
Very Rev. J. Kenneth Walker, M.Div., M.C.L., J.C.L., Judicial Vicar
Mary Gen Blittschau, M.A., M.C.L., J.C.L., Judge
Rev. Joseph Erbacher, Defender of the Bond
Rev. Patrick Cooney, O.S.B., J.C.L., Defender of the Bond
Rev. Stephen Lintzenich, Judge
Rev. David Fleck, Judge
Rev. James F. Tobolski, M.C.L., J.C.L., Judge
Rev. Michael Madden, Advocate
Rev. John Schipp, Advocate
Deacon Thomas E. Holsworth, Ph. D, Court Psychologist
Linda Payne, Secretary, Ecclesiastical Notary
Leigh Anne Costlow, Secretary, Ecclesiastical Notary
Mary Gen Blittschau, M.A., M.C.L., J.C.L., Judge
Rev. Joseph Erbacher, Defender of the Bond
Rev. Patrick Cooney, O.S.B., J.C.L., Defender of the Bond
Rev. Stephen Lintzenich, Judge
Rev. David Fleck, Judge
Rev. James F. Tobolski, M.C.L., J.C.L., Judge
Rev. Michael Madden, Advocate
Rev. John Schipp, Advocate
Deacon Thomas E. Holsworth, Ph. D, Court Psychologist
Linda Payne, Secretary, Ecclesiastical Notary
Leigh Anne Costlow, Secretary, Ecclesiastical Notary