JUNE 26-JULY 9, 2019
A year after their accusations against Attorney General Curtis Hill became public, four women who accuse him of sexual misconduct have sued him and the state in federal court. From scooters to hemp, IL looks at key legislation that passed the General Assembly and the comprehensive list of new laws for 2019. Meanwhile, questions linger about the safety of the proposed Marion County Justice Center and the investigation into the shooting of two judges from Clark County.
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AG Hill accusers file harassment, retaliation lawsuit against him, state
Another chapter has been opened in the ongoing saga surrounding allegations that Attorney General Curtis Hill drunkenly groped four women at a bar more than a year ago. The four women, who up to this point have pursued action within the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, have now taken their complaint to the Southern Indiana District Court.
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Subpoena showdown: Congressional fights highlight differences from court processes
The back-and-forth between Congress and the Trump administration over subpoenas might seem like a telltale sign of the political tension dividing Washington, but it’s historically not that uncommon. Subpoena fights, however, are much less common in state and federal courts.
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Complex questions about justice center site safety concern prosecutor, public defender
Since the Marion County judges hired their own environmental consultant to review the remediation plans for the property where the new justice center is slated to be built, the Marion County prosecutor and public defender offices have started raising their own concerns about the level of contamination and safety of their workers.
Read MoreOfficials remain tight-lipped about judges’ shooting
Since Clark Circuit Judges Andrew Adams and Bradley Jacobs returned to their southern Indiana homes in mid-May to recuperate from being shot, few updates on their conditions and announcements regarding the prosecution of their case have been provided, leaving some in the community wondering.
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Trial and error: Attorneys navigate e-filing errors, but clerks say rejections infrequent
Lawyers and paralegals largely agree that electronic filing has improved their work, cutting the time and cost of printing and distributing hundreds or even thousands of paper documents. But enjoying the full benefits of the electronic system, they say, is a matter of trial and error.
Read MoreAfter years, administrative law reform clears Statehouse
The idea of revamping the state’s administrative law system has been floating around the Statehouse for years, but during the 2019 session, the reform effort finally gained broad support that has resulted in a new law proponents say will bring independence and transparency to the proceedings.
Read MorePhoto feature: Strawberry Festival fun
Hoosier attorneys step out of the office to help dish out strawberry shortcake on Monument Circle during the 54th annual Christ Church Cathedral Women’s Strawberry Festival on June 13.
Read MoreIndiana Court Decisions — June 5-19, 2019
Read Indiana appellate court decisions from the most recent reporting period.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Zipping into statutes: Overview of new laws for 2019
Although the $34 billion budget dominated the session, legislators introduced and considered more than 600 bills each in both the Senate and the House. The ones they passed covered a variety of matters, including hate crimes, hemp, gambling, foster parents, electricity generation and, of course, electric scooters.
Read MoreNew laws for 2019
The following enrolled acts, followed in parentheses by their corresponding public law numbers, take effect July 1 unless otherwise noted below.
Read MoreIntroduced, debated but not passed in the General Assembly
Not every bill introduced gains the traction needed to get to the governor’s desk. Many times, a proposed new law fails to get a committee hearing, or it stalls once it reaches the floor. Other times, as a measure progresses through the Statehouse, it ignites disagreements that are ultimately too much to overcome.
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Internet of things in manufacturing creates new data, cybersecurity questions
These are the days of manufacturing 4.0, the name of the fourth industrial revolution marked by connectivity among the devices that keep a factory running. In an “internet of things” world, the industrial internet of things allows plant machinery and products to talk to each other and provide real-time data and updates on how the equipment is operating and how the products are functioning out in the market, creating new challenges for lawyers.
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Stafford: New laws, plus what Indiana lawmakers didn’t do this year
Indiana Lawyer this edition presents our annual look back at what the General Assembly did this year. But our Legislature was also noteworthy for the many important things it failed to even discuss.
Read MoreDreyer: Should judges help litigants who don’t have lawyers?
In 2017, the Legal Services Corporation found 86 percent of civil legal problems of low-income Americans receive no or inadequate help. So what, if anything, should judges do when faced with people in court day after day without lawyers?
Read MoreLetter to editor: Justice center comments beg response
Given the quote of Andy Mallon in the May 29-June 11, 2019, Indiana Lawyer addressing the contamination that has soaked the property of the proposed Marion County courthouse/jail project, a response is required.
Read MoreStart Page: Living the iPad lifestyle — Trade in legal pad, pen
Recent iPad software developments represent an opportunity for doing “real” work on the iPad, making it an integral part of a lawyer’s workflow.
Read MoreHammerle on… “Late Night,” “Dark Phoenix” and “The Dead Don’t Die”
Movie reviewer Robert Hammerle says “Late Night” has Oscar potential, “Dark Phoenix” is tiresome, and “The Dead Don’t Die” is entertaining, if underplayed.
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IndyBar: What Do You Do When the Custodial Parent Passes?
It’s a phone call or email that no family law attorney wants to hear in a divorce case — that the custodial parent has passed away in a case where the noncustodial parent had supervised parenting time. Apart from your own personal reaction, there are questions whirling through your mind — does custody automatically transfer to the other parent? Even if their parenting time was restricted? What action do I need to take regarding the custody of the child?
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IndyBar: An Impact Fund Grant Truly Making an Impact
In 2018, the Indianapolis Bar Foundation (IBF) awarded its $50,000 Impact Fund Grant to Indiana Legal Services (ILS), an outstanding organization that provides legal services to the poor and indigent. Recently, ILS attorney Michael Hurst reported the group’s progress and use of that grant to create a new program to help people avoid eviction.
Read MoreDTCI: Revisiting Supplemental Awards under the Indiana Worker’s Compensation Act
Attorneys engaged in defending workers’ compensation claims in Indiana may occasionally encounter a situation in which a claimant chooses to maintain claims in multiple states arising out of the same incident or injury. Potential issues in practice may arise where injured workers pursue claims in multiple states, implicating res judicata and collateral estoppel concerns.
Read MoreDTCI Letter to the Editor: Scope of discovery standard revisited
The Sedona Conference was delighted to be cited in David Beach and Ryan Cook’s timely article “DTCI: The Scope of Discovery Standard — Is It Time for an Update?” (May 29, 2019). Indeed we agree that the explosion of information and information sources and the rapid technological advancements have markedly changed the complexity of discovery.
Read MoreDTCI: Young lawyers have active summer
DTCI Young Lawyers gathered for Happy Hour in the private pub room of The Tap in downtown Indianapolis on June 5. The event, hosted by Exponent, an engineering consultant firm, was a hit!
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