In This Issue of Indiana Lawyer

OCT. 19-NOV. 1, 2016

Marion County courts will begin e-filing Oct. 28, and before the end of the year, electronic filing will be mandatory. Gov. Mike Pence hasn't said whether he'll appeal an adverse ruling, but those vying to succeed him don't share his views on blocking Syrian refugees. A life-changing breast cancer diagnosis also changed one lawyer's career outlook.

Top StoriesBack to Top

Trend of in-house counsel doing more internally likely to continue

Since the Great Recession and possibly a little before, businesses have been relying less on outside counsel and using in-house attorneys more to work on legal matters. The main drivers behind the trend are companies’ desire to save money as well as to increase efficiencies in getting work done.

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Bench, bar rally behind prosecutor facing discipline

The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission brought a formal complaint against Johnson County Prosecutor Bradley Cooper for press comments attributed to him in reaction to a judge’s grant of post-conviction relief for convicted murderer Michael Overstreet. A parade of character witnesses traveled to a distant hearing to rally behind Cooper.

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Getting down to the business of lawyering

Evansville attorney David G. Harris is such a fan of the Lawyerist that he was the main driver behind getting the Evansville Bar Association to invite the website’s founder and editor-in-chief Sam Glover to speak. The Minneapolis attorney-writer will be in the southern Indiana city Oct. 27 to make a presentation about practicing law and lead attorneys through a four-step process to secure information on their laptops.

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FocusBack to Top

Kissel and Olimb: New law affects estate planning for digital property

The Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act took effect in Indiana on July 1, 2016. See Ind. Code § 32-39 et seq. The new law addresses the rights of a fiduciary, such as a personal representative, trustee, attorney-in-fact or guardian, to access digital property, such as online financial accounts, emails, texts, social media accounts and online document and picture storage.

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Retzner: Creditors must file claims or risk losing them forever

After death of a debtor or guarantor, the rules for filing claims in an estate are extremely strict. Claims must be filed within three months of the date of creditor receiving notice of the opening of an estate administration. Additionally, claims must be filed, if at all, within nine months of the date of death, regardless of whether notice was received.

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OpinionBack to Top

Dean’s Desk: The United States needs a defender general

There has been no voice at the policy table for the accused, incarcerated and paroled. We have an attorney general of the United States. We have a solicitor general of the United States. Yet, the defense is not, and has not been a part of policy decisions regarding criminal justice matters.

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In BriefBack to Top

Another tool for courts, police to combat drug abuse

Through Recovery of Indiana, a behavioral health program aimed at reducing drug abuse rates across the state, the Front Door Opiate Reduction Initiative is launching in new locations in Indiana to give courts and law enforcement officers additional options besides jail time for drug offenders struggling with serious addictions.

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Disciplinary ActionsBack to Top

Bar AssociationsBack to Top

IndyBar: Recognition Awards Honor Indy’s Leading Legal Professionals

The recipient of the President’s Award for Service to the Association is the Futures 2020 Work Group, led by chair David Duncan of Scannell Properties. This work group has dedicated significant time and effort to researching the trends and changes in the profession in order to position the IndyBar to better serve its members through 2020 and beyond.

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IndyBar: IBF Scholarships Help Students Reach Full Potential

Receiving two Indianapolis Bar Foundation (IBF) sponsored scholarships in 2016 was quite an accomplishment for Alexander Van Gorp. The scholarships provided him not only with needed financial assistance, but also served as inspiration to persevere in his preparations to become an attorney.

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IndyBar: More than 460 Helped at Ask a Lawyer

IndyBar volunteers donated both their time and expertise to provide community members in need with invaluable legal advice and guidance at Ask a Lawyer on Oct. 11. This biannual event is the IndyBar’s largest pro bono program and has helped more than 3,000 Hoosiers over the past two years.

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DTCI: Award Recipients Named

In conjunction with its 2016 annual meeting in Fort Wayne Nov. 17-18, the DTCI will recognize the outstanding defense lawyers of the year.

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