March 27, 2013
Jennifer NelsonTwo months after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the state’s law prohibiting sex offenders from using certain
social media sites, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled that Indiana Code 35-42-4-12 violates an Elkhart County man’s
First Amendment rights.
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March 4, 2013
IL StaffThe Senate Corrections & Criminal Law Committee meets Tuesday morning to hear four bills, including a bill altering registry
requirements and procedures for sex offenses and sex offenders.
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February 20, 2013
Jennifer NelsonThe Indiana Court of Appeals concluded it lacked jurisdiction over an appeal out of Marion County by a man who argues he shouldn’t
have to register as a sex offender for a 1982 rape conviction in California.
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February 19, 2013
IL StaffThe Indiana Supreme Court accepted just one case on transfer last week, that of a Lawrence County teen who was ordered to
register as a sex offender.
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February 15, 2013
Jennifer NelsonA bill that would require the governor to appoint nonattorney members to the Judicial Nominating Commission from a list of
legislator-approved candidates passed the Senate 46-2 Thursday.
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February 14, 2013
Jennifer NelsonA defendant who was convicted of robbery and rape, but whose rape conviction was vacated on double jeopardy concerns, can
still be required to register as a sex offender as a condition of his probation, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed Thursday.
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February 5, 2013
Jennifer NelsonThe Indiana Court of Appeals found a defendant failed to establish that the process used to determine his sexually violent
predator status constituted a fundamental error, so the court upheld the SVP status.
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January 29, 2013
IL StaffIn response to a ruling by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, two Indiana lawmakers have introduced a proposal restricting
sex offenders from using social media sites.
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January 23, 2013
Jennifer NelsonSeveral conditions of a man’s parole following his conviction of criminal deviate conduct involving an adult –
including prohibitions on spending time with his own children – were found to be overbroad or vague by the Indiana Court
of Appeals Wednesday. The judges reversed the grant of partial summary judgment in favor of the Indiana Parole Board and other
defendants on David Bleeke’s complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief.
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January 23, 2013
Jennifer NelsonIndiana Code 35-42-4-12 prohibiting certain sex offenders from using social networking sites that allow minors to participate
is not narrowly tailored to serve the state’s interest, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals held Wednesday. The judges
ordered a permanent injunction entered preventing enforcement of the current law.
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January 16, 2013
IL StaffSen. Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis, announced Wednesday that he has introduced legislation to revise the state’s education
credit law for sex offenders. He said eight months ago that he would seek to change the law after a sex offender was released
early after earning this type of credit.
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January 10, 2013
Jennifer NelsonThe Indiana Supreme Court held Thursday that based on the facts of a Lake County man’s case, a 2006 amendment requiring
him to register for life as a sex offender violates the Ex Post Facto Clause of the Indiana Constitution. The amendment took
effect after Andre Gonzalez fully served his sentence and during the 10-year period of his required registration.
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December 17, 2012
Dave StaffordA former child protective services caseworker convicted of sex crimes in Hamilton and Elkhart counties should have his sentence
modified to comport with his plea agreement, the Indiana Supreme Court ordered.
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December 10, 2012
Jennifer NelsonThe Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the denial of LaPorte Community School Corp.’s athletic director Edward Gilliland’s
attempt to dismiss two counts of misdemeanor failure to report child abuse filed against him. The charges stem from the conduct
of LaPorte High School’s junior volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft.
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December 3, 2012
Dave StaffordA man convicted of rape in Pennsylvania in 1993 is not required to register as a sex offender in Indiana, the Court of Appeals
affirmed Monday.
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November 21, 2012
Jennifer Nelson
Nearly three months after hearing arguments on Thomas H. Andrews’ request that he should not have to register in Indiana
for a conviction in Massachusetts in 1984, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered that he be removed from Indiana's
sex-offender registry.
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November 21, 2012
Dave StaffordIndiana appellate judges are grappling with sensitive questions about whether the state’s automatic and uniform parole
conditions for sex offenders are constitutional.
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November 14, 2012
Marilyn OdendahlA convicted child molester’s argument that the trial court abused its discretion by admitting during sentencing the
testimony of two other alleged victims was rejected by the Indiana Court of Appeals. The court described the appellant’s
contention as “pure conjecture supported by nothing in the record.”
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November 12, 2012
IL StaffAn Allen County man’s argument that the state’s Sex Offender Management and Monitoring Program is unconstitutional
will be heard Tuesday by a panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals.
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November 8, 2012
Jennifer NelsonThe Indiana Court of Appeals ruled it’s a violation of the ex post facto provision of the state’s constitution
to require a man who committed a sex crime in Illinois, but now lives in Indiana, to register in Indiana because the laws
requiring him to register in both states were enacted after he committed the crime in Illinois.
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September 21, 2012
Marilyn OdendahlA sex offender cannot use an ankle monitor as an excuse for failing to update his address on the sex offender registry, the
Indiana Court of Appeals ruled.
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September 12, 2012
Dave StaffordThe 7th Circuit Court of Appeals says DOC must fix errors; The Indiana Court of Appeals recently heard an ex post facto claim.
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September 4, 2012
IL StaffA Massachusetts man who pleaded guilty to rape and abuse of a child in that state in 1984 will argue before the Indiana Court
of Appeals Wednesday that he should not have to register in Indiana, where he now lives.
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August 28, 2012
Dave StaffordIndiana’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry provides insufficient means for those whose information is incorrect to
challenge the information, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
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August 28, 2012
Marilyn OdendahlThe Indiana Court of Appeals rejected a defendant’s ex post facto argument and affirmed a trial court’s decision
to convict him of committing a sex offender residency offense.
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I highly recommend Deanna and her team of professionals that serve the legal community. Great information and many thanks for sharing.
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.