Interpreters understand the need for offering services remotely, but want all interpreters to be certified. Attorneys say Indiana's expungement law still has issues that the General Assembly needs to fix. Law firms struggle to create apps that have value and meet a specific need for users.
Forrest Bowman Jr.’s book retraces Indianapolis’ infamous Sylvia Likens murder case and his role defending two boys at trial. The book presents a thorough, day-by-day recollection of the trial that captivated and horrified the state in 1966. Attorneys debate the impact on the judicial process by reality crime TV shows, like "Cold Justice, which led to charges against a man in a 1975 cold case. Lawmakers are in no rush to fix Marion County's Superior judge election system after a federal judge deemed the statute unconstitutional. The legislators are already having to tackle the county's small claims court system.
Firms – especially those with multiple offices – say their practices benefit from retreats, team-building exercises and even regular face-to-face meetings of top partners. Millions more dollars are being sought to cover representation of juveniles, due in part to a new rule taking effect Jan. 1. An ISBA panel looks at how firms can maximize their paralegals' roles to get their money's worth.
Indiana’s public intoxication statute, amended in 2012 to add four conduct elements, is on thin ice constitutionally for vague and subjective language. The Marion attorney who told a judge he "doesn't like socks" and won't wear them while in court has sparked a discussion by attorneys on court dress code. Attorneys says representation is imperative to due process for the child immigrants who have come to the U.S. recently.
Paul Overhauser’s clients are often on the cutting edge of Internet technology, so he decided that in addition to dollars, he’ll take digital dough. The intellectual property attorney has been accepting Bitcoin for several months. A key legislator in the Indiana General Assembly thinks Marion County small claims reform will face hurdles in the Legislature. Lawyers say that communication is key to long-term preservation of large estates. You don't want to fall victim to the "three generations rule" - that your fortune will only last three generations.
A recent $2.5 million gift will expand the Indiana University Maurer School of Law-linked conservation law program to IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law students. Indiana has joined 11 states in challenging the EPA's regualtory authority over existing coal plants. Attorneys find enjoyment in playing board games. In fact, one is leaving the law to work for a board game company.
Indiana Justice Loretta Rush will be the state’s first female chief justice. Her selection was praised by the governor, attorney general and many others, including friends and former colleagues in her hometown of Lafayette, who say her personality and professionalism make her a natural choice for the position. With the increase in popularity of smartphones and tablets, more people are choosing to use their own devices at work. But attorneys caution that companies need to craft "bring your own device" policies. Lewis Wagner LLP partner Dina Cox explains some of the common mistakes young lawyers make and how they can be avoided.
An Indiana Court of Appeals judge recently wrote that her colleagues who formed the majority to rule against a local tourism board were “out of touch,” and she suggested a case over an Internet domain name presented a novel issue that no court in the country has addressed. The American Bar Association has released a tool to help lawyers assess if their colleague has a cognitive impairment. Some companies are using metrics to evaluate lawyer performance.
The increased amount in registration fees attorneys will pay starting Aug. 1 will cover shortfalls in the Disciplinary Commission, the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and the Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program. A portion of the increased fees will also provide revenue for the state’s pro bono districts. A report issued by a task force commissioned at the request of the Indiana Supreme Court recommends reported attorney pro bono hours only be public in an aggregate manner. A recent 7th Circuit Court of Appeals decision may expedite the demise of Marion County township courts.
Same-sex couples rushed to obtain marriage licenses and get married after a federal judge overturns Indiana’s ban on same-sex marriage, but a stay was issued just two days after the ruling. Some attorneys are concerned people with legal masters degrees may begin taking work from lawyers. Most of Indiana's new laws took effect July 2. A complete list of the new laws and effective dates is available here.