The Indiana Supreme Court has extended a pilot program designed to help people contest temporary mental health commitments and may expand it statewide. As Caleb Amick reports, advocates say patients sometimes waited weeks or months for a response to their challenge. And Maura Johnson asks local attorneys to weigh in on an unusual tactic used by the defense in the Tupac Shakur murder trial: claiming their client is a liar whose word can’t be trusted.
The Indiana Supreme Court has extended a pilot program designed to help people contest temporary mental health commitments — and may expand it statewide. Reporter Caleb Amick writes about the Marion County Expedited Mental Health Program, which was established in 2024 as part of an effort to speed up appeals from patients who were involuntarily confined to an inpatient mental health facility or forced to receive outpatient services. Plus, reporter Maura Johnson examines the novel arguments an attorney used to defend a former gang leader who was eventually convicted in the death of rap artist Tupac Shakur.
The Indianapolis Office of Corporation Counsel is facing a higher-than-usual volume of cases and is scrambling to find litigators to handle them. The office, which provides legal services at the city and county level, currently lists seven vacancies in its nine-position litigation division and has been paying for outside counsel to help handle the workload. Reporter Caleb Amick dives into the details about why the division is so short-handed. Plus, reporter Maura Johnson talks with Anne Fuchs, an opera singer who coaches lawyers and other executives to help them find their voices in the courtroom or boardroom.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana last month filed a lawsuit over what it said are problems at the Monroe County Jail related to overcrowding, plumbing, mold and other issues. Reporter Maura Johnson digs into the allegations and the response from local leaders. Plus, reporter Caleb Amick explores the kind of fraud that officials have rooted out in the state's Medicaid program that led to a federal award.
The Indiana Paralegal Association supports paralegals through networking, educational opportunities and, most recently, an online job bank. Maura Johnson chats with high-ranking officials about the ways the association promotes the profession. Also in this week's issue, Mitzi Morris examines how a new program is teaching lawyers entrepreneurial skills so they can run practices in legal deserts.
Just more than a month into its debut, a new state law focused on immigrant labor is starting to resonate with employers. As Cameron Shaw reports, companies are paying heed to work eligibility requirements and penalties on immigrant hiring. Also in this week's issue, Maura Johnson finds that legal clinics are picking up the slack on immigration issues amid an attorney shortage.
Marion County leaders are considering options to reduce the costs associated with incarceration, but whether those efforts land in next year’s budget remains to be seen. Among the considerations is the complete removal of electronic monitoring fees — which would mean the county would lose about $2.5 million annually that is currently collected. Reporter Cameron Shaw explores the impact and the potential that the fee elimination will come to pass. Plus, reporter Maura Johnson explores the Hendricks County Probation Department's teen court, a jury experience that lets kids be the judge on how their peers move forward after breaking the rules.
In its more than 150-year history, Krieg DeVault LLP has been building and shaping offices across Indiana and the wider Midwest through office moves and mergers, all with an eye toward how to best serve clients. Founded in 1870 in Indianapolis, the firm has grown to 114 attorneys across its six offices, including 72 in central Indiana. Reporter Maura Johnson takes a look at the Indianapolis-based firm's growth and its mentorship programs. Plus, read a Q&W with Georgia Wralstad Ulmschneider, an associate professor who has essentially built Purdue University Fort Wayne’s prelaw advising program from the ground up.
Major television entertainment providers Dish Network and Sling TV have accused an Indianapolis broadcast company of illegally streaming copyrighted channels. As Cameron Shaw reports, Communication Unites Everyone Inc. claims it operates under a legitimate business model and has agreements to livestream events. Also in this week’s issue, Maura Johnson examines the impact of Purdue Global Law School.
Indiana voters will decide in November whether to allow city and town judges to live near but not actually inside the municipal boundaries of the communities they serve. The proposed constitutional change is meant to make it easier for communities to find candidates for judgeships. Reporter Maura Johnson explains what is at stake. And reporter Cameron Shaw previews the Indiana Supreme Court oral arguments in Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, et al. v. Duke Energy Indiana LLC, et al. through which the court could resolve whether Indiana will embrace the federal doctrine of associational standing, which holds that an organization may intervene on behalf of one of its members, even if it itself has not suffered direct harm.