Sec. 1. (a) Except as provided under subsection (c), a civil action may be prosecuted or defended by a party:
(1) in person; or
(2) represented by an attorney.
(b) If the state of Indiana is a party to a civil action filed on the small claims docket of a circuit court or superior court, the state of Indiana is not required to appear by attorney.
(c) A corporation and any organization required to make application to the secretary of state under IC 25-11-1-3 must appear by attorney in all cases. However, corporations organized under:
(1) IC 23-1;
(2) IC 23-1.5;
(3) IC 23-7-1.1 (before its repeal on August 1, 1991); or
(4) IC 23-17;
are not required to appear by attorney in civil cases filed on a small claims docket of a circuit or superior court.