An 8,000-hog farm in Hendricks County that neighbors say has harmed their health and property values is the subject of a lawsuit over the Indiana Right to Farm Act that plaintiffs hope to take to the United States Supreme Court. More than 40 percent of Indiana counties are “legal deserts,” with less than one lawyer per 1,000 residents. See how all 92 Indiana counties compare, and hear from people who are among a few who practice in their hometowns. And a trio of court rulings shook up Indiana election laws, leaving a still-unresolved picture of what voting may look like on Nov. 3.    

After winning the right to vote 100 years ago, women go to the polls in greater numbers than men, but their impact is limited. Students heading back to school amid the coronavirus pandemic created unexpected lessons for parents, teachers and education attorneys. And with calls for racial justice continuing to reverberate, statehouse leaders are pushing for policy changes to police law enforcement.

At 38, the new managing partner of Dentons Bingham Greenebaum’s Indianapolis office is taking charge at a challenging time, finding that “nimble” is her favorite word of late. Indiana’s new pretrial risk assessment tools is showing some initial success, new studies show. And a trio of northern Indiana judges have a honey of a hobby that keeps them busy as beekeepers.

As Indiana law schools prepare to welcome back students amid the COVID-19 pandemic, administrators are planning for a semester that will be unlike any other. Indiana willl have a new attorney general come January as Republican Todd Rokita and Democrat Jonathan Weinzapfel are gearing up for the November general election. The pandemic threw ice water on the red-hot law firm merger market, but Indiana, a state often absent from the list of merger activity, recorded two separate combinations just as the COVID-19 crisis was taking hold. 

Shining a light on a little-told success story — that two-thirds of Hoosier youths in foster care exit the system and are are successfully reunited with their natural parents — Marion County court staff held a celebration to mark National Reunification Month for the first time in Indiana. Like the rest of the state, lawyers aren’t heading back to the office all at once — in fact, some aren’t heading back at all. The new normal of “working from home” has become so engrained that firm leaders say they don’t expect their employees to return to the old lifestyle of commuting into the office every day. And as Hoosier trial courts prepare for the return of in-person proceedings with COVID-19 precautions, many unanswered questions remain about the best practices for safely conducting jury trials.

A new regional center in Indianapolis is bringing economic excitement as an immigration law firm plans to boost businesses, communities with foreign investors. The final chapter of Valparaiso Law School has brought bittersweet memories for alumni. And as a slate of new laws are set to take effect July 1, two lawyers whose clients lost in court saw new laws that adopted the positions they fought for.

Peaceful protests over police use of force and racial bias in Indianapolis and around the state turned violent  as police in the state capital launched tear gas and protesters vandalized and destroyed businesses. After protests turned to rage, attorneys familiar with inequities in the justice system said they understood the reason for anger in the streets. And inmates who have sought release from prison or jail due to COVID-19 have seen mixed results.

Suspended Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is fighting to stay in power, facing political rivals as well as a lawsuit that seeks to disqualify him from office. Juvenile probation officers in Marion and Monroe counties delivered for their young clients and their families, providing a gift in tough times. And as law school graduates faced unprecedented challenges from the coronavirus pandemic leading up the July bar exam, quick action by the Indiana Supreme Court delivered some certainty in uncertain times.

The 30-day suspension of Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is raising questions about whether he remains eligible to serve in office. The law school class of 2020 made history in more than one way with the first virtual admission ceremony. And a change in the federal courts for the Southern District of Indiana brings the promise of adventure in retirement a clerk who is hitting the road.

With courthouses across Indiana virtually empty, courts are turning to technology to keep dockets moving and planning for the future amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Law firms big and small have pivoted amid the pandemic, putting emphasis on keeping clients informed about coronavirus issues. And Indiana Lawyer is proud to introduce our 2020 Leadership in Law honorees.