Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Indiana
The Indiana lemon law for new cars, the rules for used cars, where to file a complaint, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Indiana: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. The agreement must be a writing signed by the client stating how the fee is figured, including percentages on settlement, trial or appeal, which expenses come out of the recovery and whether before or after the fee is calculated, and any expenses the client owes whether or not they win; at the end, the lawyer gives a written statement of the result and the client's share. Indiana bars contingent fees for criminal defendants and domestic relations fees contingent on securing a dissolution, on the amount of maintenance, support or property settlement, or on obtaining child custody. A contingent fee for a post-judgment domestic relations collection action is allowed if the lawyer advises the client in writing about other collection options and otherwise complies with Rule 1.5(c). |
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Indiana rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Indiana's lemon law covers self-propelled vehicles under 10,000 pounds sold to buyers in Indiana and intended for highway use (not conversion vans, motor homes or farm tractors). The "term of protection" ends 18 months after delivery or at 18,000 miles, whichever comes first; defects reported in that time must be repaired even after it ends. A reasonable number of attempts is considered made if the defect was repaired at least four times and still exists, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs at least 30 business days and the defect still exists. If the defect cannot be corrected, the manufacturer must take the vehicle back and, at the buyer's option, within 30 days refund the full contract price (minus a reasonable allowance for use) or provide a comparable replacement, and must reimburse necessary towing and rental costs. The buyer must give the manufacturer notice of the claim as described in Ind. Code § 24-5-13-9. |
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| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice: the buyer must first notify the manufacturer of a claim if the manufacturer clearly disclosed in the warranty or owner's manual that written notice of the defect is required before a refund or replacement, and gave the name and address to send it to. If the manufacturer did not make that disclosure, the buyer does not have to notify it. 2) Final repair attempt: no separate final-repair step is described. 3) Arbitration: Indiana has no state-run lemon law arbitration program. The lemon law does not apply to a buyer who has not first used a manufacturer's informal dispute program if the Attorney General has certified it as fully complying with federal rules (16 C.F.R. Part 703) and state certification rules, and the buyer received adequate written notice of it (for example, in the written warranty). 4) Deadline: a lawsuit must be started within 2 years after the buyer first reports the defect to the manufacturer, its agent or authorized dealer; that period is paused while a certified manufacturer program is handling the dispute. The statute does not mention a fee for the manufacturer's program. A buyer may recover costs and expenses, including attorney's fees, in a successful action (§ 24-5-13-22). |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | File an online Consumer Complaint (also available in Spanish) with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. Separate online forms exist for licensing enforcement, homeowners protection (home improvement and mortgage), gas gouging, identity theft and do-not-call complaints. The division mediates and investigates consumer complaints against businesses, but by state law cannot act as an individual's private attorney or give legal advice. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Indiana State Bar Association does not run a statewide referral line; it offers a Find a Lawyer directory (InBar.Reliaguide.com) and information on local resources for attorney referral. The Indiana courts' self-help site also lists Virtual Ask a Lawyer, hosted by the Indianapolis Bar Association (call or chat online). Also: https://www.in.gov/courts/selfservice/resources/ |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Indiana Supreme Court's Roll of Attorneys, maintained by the Office of Admissions & Continuing Education, can be searched by last name and, optionally, city. It shows the attorney number, name, address and phone on file with the Clerk, the date admitted to practice in Indiana, and the status of the attorney's license. You can also call Admissions and Continuing Education at 317-232-2552 to confirm license status, whether formal charges are pending and whether the lawyer has been disciplined before. Roll of Attorneys search: https://courtapps.in.gov/rollofattorneys |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievances about Indiana lawyers go to the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission (staffed by the Office of Judicial & Attorney Regulation). Submit the Request for Investigation form online, or print and mail it to 251 N. Illinois Street, Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204; call (317) 232-1807 to have a form mailed. Include the lawyer's name, any court cause number, a short statement of the conduct, and copies of supporting documents. The Commission does not recover money, file criminal charges or give legal advice, and fee disputes generally fall outside discipline unless the fee is clearly unreasonable. A grievance cannot be withdrawn once filed. Disciplinary history is public once formal charges are filed; Supreme Court discipline orders since 2003 are posted online. Discipline decisions: https://www.in.gov/courts/public-records/orders/discipline |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Indiana Legal Services, the state's LSC-funded legal aid organization, "provides free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income people throughout the State of Indiana" (indianalegalservices.org). Indiana Legal Help (IndianaLegalHelp.org) helps with cases, forms and finding no-cost or low-cost legal aid, and Indiana.FreeLegalAnswers.org lets qualifying people ask volunteer attorneys questions for free. The courts' Self-Service Legal Center provides information and forms for people representing themselves. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Indiana · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.