November 10, 2008
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments today involving an issue that is currently before our state’s high court: whether lab
reports are considered testimonial evidence. SCOTUS heard arguments in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts , about whether a state
forensic analyst’s laboratory’s report...
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November 7, 2008
The masters presiding over the case of Marion Superior Judge Grant Hawkins released their report today recommending to the
Indiana Supreme Court that he be removed from the bench. Hawkins was charged by the Indiana Judicial Qualifications Commission
with 11 counts...
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November 5, 2008
From IL reporter Michael Hoskins: Indiana Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard took some time Wednesday following Election Day
to talk with about 60 people about local government reform. He spoke at the North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis
about his work...
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November 4, 2008
I expected a long wait to vote at my precinct today. I brought my iPod, wore comfortable shoes, and prepared to wait in line
for an hour or more. When at 7 a.m. I pulled up to the church where I...
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November 3, 2008
From IL reporter Michael Hoskins: Election Day is less than 24 hours away, but that isn’t stopping the litigation and court
filings. An emergency appeal is happening with the Indianapolis ruling that came from Marion Circuit Judge Ted Sosin late
Friday,...
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October 31, 2008
With all the political ads showing on TV right now, it’s easy for us to tune them out. But one recent ad from the camp of
Republican candidate for Attorney General Greg Zoeller has upset one Indianapolis criminal defense attorney so...
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October 30, 2008
The Indiana Court of Appeals is hearing arguments today in the Lake County early-voting satellite locations case, and as of
this blog posting, hasn’t ruled on the issue. It’s up in the air right now how the court may rule, but...
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October 28, 2008
Why does it always have to be Lake County? It’s election time, so once again, there are allegations flying that shenanigans
are going on in Northern Indiana. Voter fraud is a big deal. If it isn’t caught, it can damage and...
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October 27, 2008
From IL reporter Michael Hoskins: If you’re responsible for applying the law, no matter if the case is a traffic infraction
or a civil or criminal proceeding, is a law license required? The answer is no, but it’s a topic being...
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October 23, 2008
Update: The Wall Street Journal Law Blog has an entry today with excerpts of the 2nd Circuit Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs' speech
regarding pro bono work. The chief judge defends his speech, saying the National Law Journal article "grossly misstates" what
the judge...
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October 22, 2008
Want to go to law school for free? That’s the pitch one new California law school is using to attract students from competing
schools. The University of California Irvine School of Law is planning to offer the students who enroll in...
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October 20, 2008
Indiana Lawyer has jumped into the online social-networking world and joined Facebook, and we are looking to make friends.
Do you want to be our friend? We started IL ’s Facebook page as a place for attorneys and law students...
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October 16, 2008
There’s a fight going on in Indiana against early-voting sites, but the punches are being thrown at the wrong opponent. A
few Republicans in the typically Democratic-leaning Lake County have challenged the use of satellite voting sites because
they feared it...
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October 14, 2008
What does the U.S. Constitution do? Why do some states have more representatives than others? Under the U.S. Constitution,
what is one power of the federal government? As a lawyer, you should be able to answer these questions pretty easily. But...
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October 10, 2008
Free child care. Free movies and wireless Internet. Time to shop during the day. These aren’t amenities law firms are giving
employees to attract lawyers but are actually what some counties in the U.S. are doing to attract jurors. No one...
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October 8, 2008
Here’s more proof that law firms are struggling in this economy: opportunities for mergers are lessening. When I think of
the economy worsening, I think law firms that are teetering on the brink of going under would try to find another...
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October 6, 2008
Some local candidates for judge in Indiana are turning to the Internet to spread the word about their campaigns – but they
aren’t just creating election Web sites. Some have taken the leap into the social media world and created Facebook...
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October 3, 2008
From IL reporter Michael Hoskins: Five newer faces on the federal bench (or at least, ones in relatively new roles) came together
Thursday afternoon at the ISBA annual meeting. They were Magistrate Jane Magnus-Stinson, selected about two years ago to replace...
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October 2, 2008
During a conversation today with Indiana Lawyer reporter Rebecca Berfanger, the incoming Indiana State Bar Association president
mentioned something that caught our attention: Not only does he have a Facebook page, but the ISBA has a Facebook group page.
Bill Jonas...
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September 30, 2008
Hey, there. I’ve found myself in a bit of a pickle financially and need around $700 billion. Can you lend it to me without
me telling you what I need it for? Thanks. But by the way, if I don’t repay...
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September 29, 2008
Women attorneys continue to make less than men. It doesn’t shock or even surprise me. There’s no disputing that on average,
women in all types of professions make less than men, often for doing the same job. It’s been that...
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September 25, 2008
Indiana may have made national headlines for its strict voter ID laws this year, but when it comes to felons being able to
vote, Indiana is one of the better states in the country. In Indiana, imprisoned felons can’t vote, but...
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September 23, 2008
Lawyers are an analytical bunch, but are they also reflective and meditative? The American Bar Association has just released
a new book, “The Reflective Counselor: Daily Meditations for Lawyers,” in hopes of helping attorneys find balance in their
lives. The
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September 22, 2008
From Indiana Lawyer reporter Michael Hoskins: We look at Indiana’s appellate decisions every day. Frequently, a legal issue
is raised about an ambiguous federal or state statute where words aren’t defined and the courts must address what the legislative
intent could...
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September 18, 2008
We’ve got another sitting judge in trouble for his actions. Howard Superior Judge Stephen Jessup received a public admonition
after storming over to the prosecuting attorney’s office trying to find out where the deputy prosecutor was who was supposed
to be...
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Judge Roger B. Cosbey is unethical and bias toward African American who seeks justice in Title VII claims. He disrespected and used his authority to attempt to intimidate me into taking an unfair settlement and when I refused he proceeded to get my case dismissed and to deny me my Constitutional and Civil Rights. He disobeying several rules of law; specifically, by ruling on summary judgment motions against the Fed. R. Civ. P., without authority of Judge William C. Lee, without consent of the attorneys, and with conspiracy to commit “fraud on the court,” as he conspired with my former attorney. He proved to me that he is bias, unethical, unfair and unfit to be reappointed. In my opinion, he should be disbarred in 2013, for committing fraud on the court, which would make him ineligible for reinstatement in 2014. See docket 3:07 cv 629 where he rules on dispositive motions, knowing magistrates are not vested with that power (especially without consent), grants the defendant an unconscionable number of extensions, accepts my former attorney request for extension for dispositive motion knowing he was working with the opposition, and unbelievably grants the defendant another extension after he requested an extension after he missed the deadline. I know another attorney filed charges against him for bias in race discrimination case(s). I know what he did in my case before he voluntarily recused himself, I just do not know how many other innocent people have been stripped of their rights because of him. I say shame on him and no more of the same.
they are pushing these cases against lawyers too far. thought-crime.
vagueness cannot challenged, so let's write all laws vaguely and throw the constitution out the window.Even if the court is operating under a particular law, if they don't it they will change it to their liking. What a joke!!!
Two convictions becomes one conviction with exactly the same sentence, only it is not clear wheter or not that sentence will be 18 months, 120 months or 138 months. Actually if the guns were in a home, whether or not they were his, he is protected under the 2nd amendment. Jurors need to learn the law and the constitution before judging others. The cour5ts need to do this as well.
With all due respect, Rick, I think you probably would be making a mistake by going to law school. The job market for attorneys is so saturated, you may well find yourself unemployed and with a lot of debt. You mention law would be a good supplement to your skills. True. But employers unfortunately don't value that. You will find that a law degree may well pigeonhole you into an attorney slot and limit career options. If you have a good job now I would hold onto that. As an attorney, you may well end up making less with the aforementioned debt.