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Nebraska: Electric chair unconstitutional

A landmark ruling from the Nebraska Supreme Court this morning means that the last state allowing electric chair executions can’t use the method because it’s considered cruel and unusual punishment.The 6-1 ruling today in State of Nebraska v. Richard Mata, Jr., S-05-1268, affirms the death sentence but stays the execution. The court decided that the legislature may vote to have a death penalty but not one that offends rights under the state constitution. Because the decision is based solely on state…

Bankruptcy filings up in Indiana

Bankruptcy cases in federal courts have increased more than 30 percent in the fiscal year ending in September as compared to the 2007 fiscal year. In Indiana, bankruptcy cases have increased more than 25 percent in the U.S. District Court's Northern and Southern districts.

Public defender facing suspension

A Marion County public defender is being suspended from his job after his arrest during an undercover child sex sting this weekend.The chair of the public defender office’s board of directors confirmed that Ryan Snyder, 29, is being suspended today and the Marion County Public Defender’s Agency is determining whether that will be paid leave or not.”We don’t want to be premature, and we have to let the judicial system work,” said chair Jimmie McMillian, an associate with Indianapolis firm Barnes…

Luncheon to discuss lobbying, ethics

The president and CEO of Common Cause, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that aims to hold elected officials accountable, will be the keynote speaker at a CLE luncheon co-sponsored by the organization and AARP Indiana

IU-Bloomington receives $4 million gift

An alumnus of Indiana University School of Law – Bloomington has donated $4 million to the law school to provide scholarships for students. California criminal defense attorney Donald P. Dorfman gave the money with the goal of helping students who are working their way through school. The entire gift will be dedicated to endowed scholarships and qualifies for matching funds as part of IU’s Matching the Promise campaign, which is why Dorfman decided to make the donation now. Dorfman received the…

COA reverses termination of father’s rights

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court order terminating the parental rights of a father, finding the trial court erred when it relied on an independent investigation to end his rights without giving the father a chance to view or respond to the investigation. In In Re: The Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of S.F. and J.F., Michael Farley v. Allen County Child Services, No. 02A03-0707-JV-306, the appellate court was asked to decide whether Farley was denied…

Anderson attorney dies after accident

An Anderson attorney involved in an auto accident Saturday evening in southern Madison County has died. Robert Cowles and his wife Sally were riding on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on State Road 13 when they were hit head on by a SUV.

Defendant had right to confront lab technician

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a defendant’s drug conviction, finding his Sixth Amendment right to confrontation was denied when he was unable to depose or cross-examine the lab technician who prepared a report stating cocaine was found in his car.In Ricky L. Jackson v. State of Indiana, No. 27A02-0710-CR-902, Ricky Jackson appealed his conviction of dealing in cocaine, invoking the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36 (2004), which ruled that when testimonial statements are at issue,…

Court: Evidence needed to enforce CID

The Indiana Attorney General must provide at least a verified petition to a court to enforce a civil investigative demand and show the demand is proper, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled today.In Nu-Sash of Indianapolis, Inc. d/b/a McKee Sunroom Designs v. Steve Carter, Indiana Attorney General, and Liberty Publishing, Inc. d/b/a Booster Club Productions, No. 49S02-0801-CV-16, Nu-Sash appealed a trial court order that the company respond within 10 days to a civil investigative demand (CID) issued by Attorney General Steve Carter regarding…

Tax Court upholds agency’s loan decision

The Indiana Tax Court has upheld a state agency’s decision approving loans to fund fire department operations in a Morgan County township.In Virginia Perry and Gregg Terhune, et al. v. Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, et al., No. 49T10-0712-TA-78, the court affirmed the DLGF’s approval of two Madison Township loans – a reduced $409,000 emergency amount for operating expenses and $650,000 for new vehicles and equipment – that the petitioning taxpayers didn’t want to pay for in 2007. Those taxpayers argued…

Court: private cause of action allowed

Tackling an issue of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals determined the “Equal Access Law” in Indiana Code creates a private cause of action for bail agents. In Dave Galloway in his capacity as Hendricks County Sheriff v. David Hadley, d/b/a D & D Bonding, No. 32A-04-0707-CV-400, Galloway appealed the trial court order granting Hadley a preliminary injunction against the use of a “preferred agent list” by the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department. The list contains the names of preferred bail agents,…

Merged conviction violates double jeopardy

The Indiana Court of Appeals vacated a defendant’s conviction of conspiracy to deal methamphetamine because it violated Indiana’s double jeopardy law, but the court affirmed his conviction and sentence for dealing methamphetamine. In today’s ruling in Robert R. Gregory Jr. v. State of Indiana, No. 15A01-0708-CR-348, Gregory raised several issues on appeal, arguing evidence supporting his convictions was obtained before police had a valid search warrant, a witness’s testimony shouldn’t have been allowed at trial, there was prosecutorial misconduct, and his…

Justice encourages judicial applications

An Indiana Supreme Court justice is in South Bend today to actively encourage attorneys to apply for an opening on the St. Joseph Superior Court that will be available when Judge William T. Means retires Sept. 30.”Being a judge is a challenging but enormously gratifying way for an attorney to use all of his or her legal skills in a way that improves both the quality of life in our community and the quality of justice in our state,” Justice Frank…

Two Indy firms join ‘green’ initiative

Two central Indiana law firms have been recognized by the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce as being “green.” Bose McKinney & Evans and Ice Miller were accepted into the chamber’s new Green Business initiative along with four other businesses. The initiative requires applicants to meet certain requirements – be a current member of the chamber, be at least a bronze member of the Central Indiana Clean Air Partnership, and complete an application for review. In addition, members of the Green Business…

Judges rule on marital property division

Trial courts that order parties to sell marital residences can take into account any needed repairs and costs associated with selling residences when figuring the value, as long as those amounts are based on evidence in the record, the Indiana Court of Appeals decided today.A unanimous three-judge appellate panel ruled today in David Keown v. Cynthia Marie Keown, No. 49A02-0706-CV-496, a Marion County case in which the ex-husband challenged a trial court’s decision in recalculating the value of the marital residence as…

Justices to hear ‘robocalls’ arguments Monday

The Indiana Supreme Court travels to Terre Haute Monday for arguments in a case dealing with “robocalls.” The issue in State of Indiana v. American Family Voices, Inc., Jim Gonzalez, and John Does 2-10, is whether pre-recorded, automated “robocalls” with political content can be limited under Indiana’s Automatic Dialing Machine Statute, Indiana Code Section 24-5-14-5.The case stems from complaints about American Family Voices’ use of automated calls; the attorney general’s office filed an action against the group in September 2006 in…

Child support abatement starts on petition date

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court order setting the date in which an incarcerated man can receive an abatement in his child support, finding the date the man filed his order was when it could be first applied. The ruling could open the door for the Indiana Supreme Court to decide when an abatement can take effect.In In re the marriage of: Gary Becker v. Heather Becker, No. 49A04-0804-CV-205, Gary Becker appealed the trial court order modifying his…

ICADV honors prosecutor, magistrate judge

The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence recently honored nine individuals, including an Elkhart County prosecutor and a Lake Circuit magistrate judge, for the positive impact they have on the lives of domestic violence victims.

Court urges early review of offender litigation

An Indiana state prison inmate has filed dozens of lawsuits with claims that a painful odor violated his constitutional rights, he’s been repeatedly denied access to public records, victimized by excessive force, and not given proper treatment behind bars.The Indiana Appellate Clerk’s Office has 35 of Eric D. Smith’s appeals, most being civil suits that include one decided today, and six that remain pending awaiting action.Today, the Indiana Court of Appeals dismissed one of the 29-year-old’s string of suits and the…