INDIANAPOLIS | Hoosier homeowners facing the threat of foreclosure may now have access to the help they need to hang onto their homes.

On Monday, Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard announced that more than 1,000 Indiana judges, attorneys and mediators have received training on how to better handle foreclosure cases.

The court is working with the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority to use these specially trained legal professionals in mortgage foreclosure settlement conferences.

A new law, sponsored by state Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, requires a creditor to notify a homeowner facing foreclosure of their right to conduct a settlement conference.

"These face-to-face meetings help homeowners to understand that lenders are willing to work with them, and the parties are able to find a compromise," Tallian said.

In 2008, there were 45,394 foreclosure filings in Indiana, a 50 percent increase over 2004.

"Indiana's high rate of foreclosures has adversely affected property values, and we risk letting home values drop even lower as the foreclosure crisis continues," Tallian said.

More than 300 settlement conferences have been requested since the law took effect in August.

Shepard announced the foreclosure training program in February, saying he wanted to train more judges, attorneys and mediators than any other state.

Attorneys were encouraged at the more than 30 foreclosure law training sessions held statewide to provide free legal help to homeowners in need of assistance.