SEPT. 19-OCT. 2, 2018
An Indianapolis real estate company is facing multiple lawsuits over a rent-to-buy program offering homes in need of repair to buyers who can't get traditional financing. A legal aid attorney describes seeing would-be homeowners' dreams turn to tears. After years of study of Indiana's public defender system, a host of changes are being proposed. It's tough to become a judge in Lebanon. Internationally, just 34 of more than 1,000 test-takers passed. One is a former IU McKinney master of laws student.
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Lawsuits charge Rainbow Realty’s rent-to-buy contracts target the most vulnerable
A case before the Indiana Court of Appeals is at least the third pending suit involving Rainbow Realty and its rent-to-buy program. The Indiana Attorney General filed a complaint in Marion Superior Court in January 2013, and the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana filed a class action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana in May 2017.
Read MoreImproving legal representation for the indigent
Nearly two years after a national organization released a report that was highly critical of Indiana’s public defense system, a statewide task force has issued a report of its own that lays out the issues hindering Hoosier defendants’ access to counsel and makes recommendations for improvement.
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J. Lee McNeely recognized as Legendary Lawyer for distinguished career
A small-town attorney with a folksy manner and sly wit, J. Lee McNeely never wanted to be anywhere other than his hometown of Shelbyville. The Indiana Bar Foundation named him the 2018 Legendary Lawyer in recognition of his public service, community service and contributions to the legal profession during more than 50 years of practice.
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IU McKinney LL.M. 1 of 34 to pass exam for future Lebanese judges
To call the Lebanese judicial exam difficult would be an understatement. Many who qualify try for years, and this year, less than 4 percent of all takers pass the test to become a judge in the Middle Eastern nation. But a former IU McKinney master of laws wasn’t deterred by such odds, and she succeeded on her first attempt.
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Leaner, faster ABA section ready for troubled law schools
The American Bar Association House of Delegates’ adoption of three resolutions is characterized as bringing the “most fundamental changes” to the accreditation process in several decades.
Read MoreLaw librarians bristle as written ABA reports no longer required
Usually, when someone’s workload is reduced, that person is happy. But law school librarians are upset that they will no longer be required to submit a written summary each year detailing the activities of their libraries.
Read MoreSheriffs, public defense task force shine spotlight on jail overcrowding
The work of law enforcement has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. But in Indiana, one aspect of local law enforcement has not: the per diem local jails receive to house, feed and transport inmates. Currently the state allocates a $35 per day, but the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association has announced plans to advocate for raising that amount to $55.
Read MoreMental health, diversity may become required CLE
Lawyers soon could be required to earn continuing legal education credits in diversity and inclusion and mental health and wellness under a proposal the Indiana State Bar Association House of Delegates will consider next month. It’s one of two resolutions delegates will consider.
Read MoreIndiana Court Decisions — Aug. 29-Sept. 12, 2018
Read Indiana appellate decisions from the most recent reporting period.
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New Albany attorney J. Todd Spurgeon to become ISBA president
A couple of years into his practice at Kightlinger & Gray, a senior partner at the firm gave J. Todd Spurgeon a simple directive: “You are going to get involved in the bar association.” The rest, as they say, is history: Spurgeon’s now the incoming president of the Indiana State Bar Association.
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ISBA adapts, evolves to meet changing needs of attorneys
The Indiana State Bar Association is working to attract members and keep them engaged in professional and community activities. The challenge: attorneys in the middle and late stages of their career might be comfortable with the way things have always been, but younger lawyers are pushing the need for a new way to do business.
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Hurley: How JLAP helps attorneys battling depression
With the development of the JLAP support group, I started working with other lawyers, trying to find ways to help them deal with their depression while successfully practicing law. What I have learned is that, as in many support groups, talking openly with fellow attorneys allows group members to discuss their issues while getting emotional support from their fellow lawyers.
Read MoreDoehrman: Brain injury study not the touchdown it purports to be
A study published in the August 2017 edition of JAMA Neurology appears to show that playing football in high school is not associated with cognitive impairment or certain other health risks later in life. This struck me as odd, not only because I’ve seen no shortage of concussions among young people playing contact sports, but also because — like the rest of American newspaper readers — I’ve been inundated with high-profile studies demonstrating exactly the opposite over the last 10 years.
Read MoreFederal Bar Update: Rule amendments taking effect, open for comment
In April the Supreme Court approved amendments to Rules 5, 23, 62, and 65.1 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which will take effect December 1 absent contrary action by Congress.
Read MoreNeutral Corner: “Factfulness” underscores importance of robust mediation
A recently published book chronicles the decades-long work of Hans Rosling, a social scientist and international professor of health. The book, “Factfulness,” published in the spring of 2018, reveals how human instincts and intuition lead the majority of people to see the world incorrectly.
Read MoreHammerle On … “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” “The Meg”
Movie reviewer Bob Hammerle says “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” resonates with matters in the local news, while “The Meg” is about what to expect from a shark-attack film.
Read MoreQuick: Podcasts can extend your law firm’s reach to the world
Law firms or attorneys looking to market their firm or become known as go-to lawyers in a particular practice area have a new and growing way to get their message out: podcasts.
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IndyBar: 4-Year-Old Soccer, Being Undefeated and Attorney Wellness
I don’t like to brag, but I’m going to go ahead and say it: I’m undefeated. As head coach of a 4-year-old soccer team, I’ve never lost a single game. Of course, it helps that I’m in a recreational league where keeping track of wins and losses is forbidden.
Read MoreIndyBar: Kevin Tyra — A Pro for Pro Bono
What you’ll find unique about Kevin Tyra’s contribution to pro bono work in our community is that his commitment is not restricted to the time he invests providing services, but more remarkably that he took the initiative to develop a new outlet for the provision of pro bono legal services when he co-founded the Ozanam Free Legal Clinic.
Read MoreIndyBar: Make a Difference — Volunteer for the Free Wills Clinic on October 16!
Attorneys, paralegals and law students are needed as volunteers to do intake, conduct private legal consultations with qualified applicants, draft paperwork and witness document signing for an upcoming free wills clinic.
Read MoreDTCI: Medical Malpractice Vs. Ordinary Negligence
Indiana courts have developed a workable test, but one that makes it difficult in some instances to predict whether certain acts constitute ordinary negligence or medical malpractice.
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