From the immigration crackdown that brought hundreds of detainees to Indiana jails to the firing of public employees for their social media posts on the Charlie Kirk assassination to the Indiana Senate’s rejection of mid-cycle redistricting, the state saw plenty of legal news in 2025. The staff of  The Indiana Lawyer picked the state’s Top 10 legal stories of the year. See which story we chose, and also peruse a list of the most-read stories on our website. In our regular news section, you can learn from Managing Editor Daniel Carson about the how President Donald Trump's executive order on artificial intelligence is affecting the advise attorneys are giving their business clients. Reporter Cameron Shaw helps you prepare for the 2026 session of the Indiana General Assembly by examining five legal issues lawmakers are expected to tackle, and Reporter Maura Johnson provides an update on the new e-filing system being developed for the state's courts.

Fort Wayne is the latest target of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita's expanding inquiry into the potential labor trafficking of undocumented immigrants. Managing Editor Daniel Carson explores why Rokita is continuing to use civil investigative demands, a sort of civil subpoena, to seek information in the immigration-related probe despite the approach being successfully challenged in court in Evansville. Reporter Maura Johnson takes a look at the quickly rising number of problem-solving courts across Indiana and how their efforts to help substance abusers and others is requiring a search for alternative funding sources. In Focus, reporter Cameron Shaw examines how the Legislature's efforts to reallocate judges to fast-growing counties is impacting rural communities.

Political critics of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita have plenty to say about his new policy that prohibits state contracts from going to law firms that have what Rokita calls "illegal" diversity, equity and inclusion practices, reporter Cameron Shaw found. But the state's major law firms are opting to keep quiet. On the M&A front, Managing Editor Daniel Carson reports that an increasing number of nonprofits are merging or considering new combinations amid rising costs. In criminal law, reporter Maura Johnson examines the state's "stand your ground" law and how it could make or break the defense of a Whitestown man accused of shooting and killing a cleaning lady who mistakenly arrived at his house and tried to unlock the front door.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling from 1935 that found a Hoosier member of the Federal Trade  Commission was improperly fired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt has protected leaders of independent federal agencies from being dismissed by new administrations for decades. But, as Managing Editor Daniel Carson reports, that could change as the case of another FTC commissioner fired by President Donald Trump heads to the nation's high court. Speaking of protections, Hoosiers will gain some new ones as the state's new data security law takes effect Jan. 1. Reporter Cameron Shaw has the details. In Focus, reporter Maura Johnson introduces you to the incoming president of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana.

Several law firms with a substantial Indiana presence have announced mergers this year, reflecting a national trend of rising merger activity. Experts told reporter Maura Johnson it's a trend that is expected to remain strong. Managing Editor Daniel Carson reports on the complications that attorneys and their clients are facing as the federal government shutdown drags on. Answers on questions dealing with permits, tax issues and federal funding are becoming increasingly difficult to come by. In Focus, reporter Cameron Shaw takes a closer look at a renewed push for state legislation that would give Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita far more authority on immigration issues.

Indiana businesses and universities, like those in every other state, submit thousands of H-1B visa petitions to the federal government each year with hopes they can find highly skilled foreign professionals to fill critical positions. But President Donald Trump's new $100,000 fee on H-1B visas is causing concern and confusion for employers and the attorneys who advise them, reports Managing Editor Daniel Carson. A story from reporter Cameron Shaw explores how a new case in federal court in Indianapolis could clarify free speech rights for public employees. Suzanne Swierc was fired as Ball State University's director of health promotion and advocacy over a Facebook post she made about the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk. Now she's suing in what is becoming a closely watched case. In Focus, Carson writes about the appeal of small law firms for some recent graduates.

Some people can't afford their own attorney but make too much money to qualify for legal aid. Students at Indiana University Maurer School of Law are developing a nonprofit law firm model that could help fill the gaps, and reporter Maura Johnson has the details. At the IU McKinney School of Law, a partnership is developing with Indiana University Indianapolis to offer a sports law program that blends an undergraduate degree in sports management with a masters in jurisprudence. The program is expected to give a leg up to students who want to lead university athletic conferences or work in the front offices of professional sports teams, Cameron Shaw reports. On the immigration front, Managing Editor Daniel Carson has the story on a new memo that has been issued to immigration judges to make sure their courts meet certain "performance metrics." That has some immigration attorneys concerned that the courts will place the emphasis on speed rather than fairness.

Pressure from the Trump administration on Indiana Republicans to engineer a rare mid-decade redistricting of the state's congressional maps has Indiana Democrats preparing to challenge the maneuver in court. Reporter Cameron Shaw explores the potential legal arguments that Democrats may use, including lessons learned from a mid-cycle legislative redistricting Republican lawmakers briefly considered 30 years ago. The judicial upholding of a Trump policy to deny bond hearings for detained undocumented immigrants is explored by Managing Editor Daniel Carson, who interviewed several Indiana immigration attorneys. In Focus, reporter Maura Johnson explains how Indiana University is rolling out an educational brand of artificial intelligence for use by students and faculty.

Will the U.S. Supreme Court agree to hear a request to overturn the landmark decision the legalized same-sex marriage? Managing Editor Daniel Carson surveys some Indiana attorneys and explores could happen if the decision falls. He also explores the impact of a fascinating case involving an end-of-death doula who is testing the bounds of Indiana laws that set out what kinds of services can be provided only by licensed funeral directors. Reporter Maura Johnson has a story about a new program at the University of Notre Dame Law School aimed at first-year students who haven't had that much exposure to lawyers or the law school experience and are seeking some additional guidance. In Focus, Johnson interviews attorney John Maley to see what he has planned as the incoming president of the Indiana State Bar Association.

Could President Donald Trump's interest in reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug nudge Indiana lawmakers closer to legalizing it. Some advocates think so, Managing Editor Daniel Carson reports. On the casino gambling front, global law firm Greenberg Traurig is increasing the competition for Indiana gambling clients with the hiring of two attorneys with deep experience in the state. Reporter Cameron Shaw has the details. One approach to dealing with Indiana's lawyer shortage may be to provide a pathway to lawyer licensure that doesn't involve taking a full-blown bar exam but requires newly-minted attorneys to work in rural or other underserved areas. Reporter Maura Johnson explores the recent recommendation from a commission looking at Indiana's legal future. In Focus, Johnson also examines why Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is probing the diversity practices of three Indiana colleges.