XIV, Sec. 1 Administering oath on affidavit of indigency

If someone says they can't afford a lawyer or court costs, they need to fill out a form called an affidavit of indigency. This form has to be signed under oath, meaning the person is swearing that what they wrote is true.

This rule allows a pretrial officer to be the one who administers that oath. In other words, the pretrial officer can witness the person signing the form and confirm they're doing so under oath, making the document official.

This matters because it gives courts more flexibility. Instead of requiring a judge or clerk to handle this specific task, a pretrial officer can step in and get the paperwork done. This can help move cases along faster, especially when someone is asking for a public defender or a waiver of fees due to financial hardship.