Indianapolis imposes penalties on vendors that don’t meet minority-contracting goals
The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday approved a measure that gives teeth to the city’s minority-contracting program.
Latest News
Articles
Ex-judge, assistant accused of estate fraud, will tampering face escalating claims
The stakes have been raised in a lawsuit against a former northern Indiana judge and an employee of his law office accused of swindling the estate of a deceased client whose will bequeathed more than $700,000 to local charities — money the charities say they never received.
Former ITT students in Indiana to get $10M in debt relief
More than 1,000 students who were enrolled at now-closed ITT Technical Institute campuses in Indiana are eligible for nearly $10 million in student loan forgiveness, the state’s attorney general announced Tuesday.
SCOTUS to stick with arguments via telephone for now
The Supreme Court said Wednesday it will start its new term next month the way it ended the last one, with arguments by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic and live audio available to the public. The latter decision came at least in part at the urging of teachers from Chief Justice John Roberts’ Indiana high school.
Appeals court rules for insurer in family’s UIM coverage suit
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the denial of a family’s motion for partial summary judgment against an insurance company after a car crash they were involved in left the mother seriously and permanently injured.
Judicial Conference releases 10-year strategic plan to improve Indiana justice system
A strategic plan to improve Indiana’s justice system over the next 10 years has been released by the Judicial Conference of Indiana, the Indiana Supreme Court announced Tuesday.
Indianapolis corporation counsel leaves administration for private sector gig
Anne Mullin O’Connor will become corporation counsel for the city of Indianapolis at the end of the month, replacing Donald Morgan, who has worked for the city since 2016, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced Wednesday.
Indiana still has $1.3 billion in coronavirus relief funds left to spend
The state of Indiana is still sitting on more than $1 billion in federal coronavirus aid with a little more than three months to spend the funds.
2 dead of virus at Terre Haute federal prison
Two inmates have died in as many days from coronavirus at the federal prison complex ion Terre Haute where the U.S. government plans to carry out two executions next week.
‘Say her name’: Louisville to pay $12M to Breonna Taylor’s family
Months after the police killing of Breonna Taylor thrust her name to the forefront of a national reckoning on race and excessive use of force, the city of Louisville agreed to pay the Black woman’s family $12 million and reform police practices as part of a settlement announced Tuesday.
Web Exclusive: Domestic violence shelters see fewer calls, more severe cases in pandemic
The silence was deafening. Little to no calls were coming in to the Middle Way House’s domestic violence help and crisis line in the months after Indiana’s stay at home orders, leaving Debra Morrow in a panic. “It got deathly quiet, and to us, that was horrifying. We were worried about those who couldn’t reach out.”
Coming full circle: Weissmann joins COA after years of appellate practice
At 10 a.m. Monday, Leanna Weissmann transitioned from practitioner to judge. “What a star,” Chief Justice Loretta Rush said of Weissmann when her appointment was announced. “I will miss you standing before me arguing cases. … I always knew it would be a whale of an argument.”
Tightrope act: Judges balance social issues, impartiality
Scenes from protests have dominated television screens for months. People of all ages, sizes, races, genders and backgrounds have participated in events calling for an end to racial inequality. But how do judges fit into the mix?
In push for poll workers, lawyers are coveted recruits
Anticipating a shortage of poll workers on Election Day, the Indiana Supreme Court has joined the recruitment effort. Lawyers who serve on Nov. 3 will be able to claim up to one hour of continuing legal education credit for going through the training and report the time worked as pro bono hours.
Law change from ‘or’ to ‘and’ causes headaches for recorders
While politicians often decry bureaucracy and red tape, a bill passed by Indiana legislators in 2020 changed a single word in a state statute and, as a result, raised an extra hurdle for Hoosiers trying to get a document recorded at their local county recorder’s office.
Unprecedented August 2020 bar exam yields passage rates from the past
The overall passage rate for the Indiana August 2020 bar exam reached 74%, about 10 percentage points higher than the overall pass rate for the previous four July bar exams. Likewise, 84% of those taking the test for the first time passed while 53% of the repeat takers were successful, the highest rate for repeaters since 54% passed the February 2015 bar.
Jones: The curious case(s) of Carter Lake: Small town, big decisions
Few small cities or towns can claim to be the center or the impetus for a U.S. Supreme Court decision. However, Carter Lake, Iowa, with a population that has never eclipsed 4,000 people, can count no less than three.
Stafford: Holcomb’s calculation leads voters to risk health or liberty
Crises present tests of leadership, and Holcomb’s milquetoast excuses for not backing no-excuse mail-in voting during this time will haunt him and define him. This is easily his worst hour in a long political career.
Seeking unity: New ISBA President Michael Tolbert finds guidance for challenging times in service, family, faith
Michael Tolbert’s turn to lead the Indiana State Bar Association could not have come at a more challenging time. Having led multiple local bar groups, the Gary native takes the helm at the ISBA during a time of pandemic and persistent racial inequities that at times have put the law and lawyers on the defensive. Tolbert, though, is relentlessly optimistic.
Indiana Court decisions – Aug. 27-Sept. 9, 2020
Read Indiana appellate decisions from the most recent reporting period.