Septic installer’s federal suit against Brown County reinstated
A Brown County man whose license to service and install septic systems was revoked without notice or a hearing may proceed with his federal lawsuit against the county.
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Articles
7th Circuit: Colts not required to renew season tickets
An Indianapolis Colts season tickets holder did not automatically have the right to transfer ownership of his tickets from one season to the next, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday in a diversity suit against the professional football team.
Court vacates union representation, citing unclear deciding vote
The regional director of the National Labor Relations Board erroneously counted a ballot in favor of union representation of a northern Indiana company and impacted the outcome of an election to determine whether the union would represent the company, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals held Tuesday.
7th Circuit: District court properly granted extra time to move for appeal
A federal judge properly allowed the state to have an extended period of time to move for direct appeal, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals determined Tuesday, finding a conditional writ of habeas corpus in the case provided unclear instructions on how the state was supposed to proceed.
Putnam County officer to be resentenced again for excessive use of force
A Putnam County law enforcement officer who used excessive force against compliant arrestees must return to district court for a second resentencing after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals determined the district court, once again, failed to adequately justify its imposition of a below-guidelines sentence.
7th Circuit orders new hearing in Marion County wrongful-detention suit
The issue of the certification of two subclasses of inmates who allege they were wrongfully detained for unconstitutional periods of time is back before a district court after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the court erred in initially denying class certification.
7th Circuit: Plain-view doctrine controls appeal of motion to suppress
An Indiana district court did not err in denying a convicted felon’s motion to suppress after three guns were found in his home during a search for electronic devices because the guns were found under the plain-view doctrine, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
7th Circuit: Retired veteran can’t sue government for distress
A retired veteran who was wrongfully deprived of incapacitation payments during his time in the reserves cannot sue the U.S. government for distress caused by that deprivation because existing caselaw prohibits servicemembers from suing the government for injuries accrued while in the military, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
7th Circuit affirms preliminary injunction to allow pro-marijuana rally
A pro-marijuana nonprofit organization may be able to hold a rally on the steps of the Tippecanoe County Courthouse after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a preliminary injunction against the county’s policy for approving courthouse events.
7th Circuit: Summary judgment properly awarded to glue manufacturer
A federal judge properly awarded summary judgment to a glue manufacturer after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals determined a man who claimed he suffered neurological issues from the glue’s fumes failed to provide expert testimony to establish causation.
Man’s 9-year sentence for possessing a gun upheld by 7th Circuit
An Indiana’s man sentence for possession of a firearm by a violent felon will stand after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals held Monday the federal and state definitions of “battery” and “force” work together to convict him of violent felonies.
Title VII sexual orientation cases bubbling in federal courts
As the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana continues with its first case allowing a Title VII claim on the basis of sexual orientation, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals is preparing for an en banc rehearing to consider whether Title VII prohibitions include sexual orientation discrimination.
7th Circuit: Officer had reasonable suspicion to prolong traffic stop
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a northern Indiana man’s conviction of possession more than 15 doctored gift cards, finding the police officer who stopped the man had reasonable suspicion to prolong the traffic stop that led to the discovery of the fraudulent gift cards.
7th Circuit hears Indiana birth certificate dispute
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals seemed unconvinced that Indiana’s prohibition against listing non-birth mothers in female, same-sex married couples on a child’s birth certificate violates the Constitution.
7th Circuit affirms denial of habeas relief
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the denial of a man’s petition for habeas relief after finding he waived his argument of ineffective assistance of counsel by not raising that argument in his habeas petition.
Ex-Evansville police officer convicted of murder appeals to US Supreme Court
A former Evansville police officer serving an 80-year sentence for murder and arson has asked the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn his conviction and order a new trial.
7th Circuit orders Lilly to reinstate ex-employee’s disability benefits
Eli Lilly and Co. must reinstate disability benefits to its former human resources director after a divided 7th Circuit Court of Appeals found insufficient evidence to support the company’s argument that the former director could still work despite her fibromyalgia symptoms.
7th Circuit allows inmate’s due process claim to continue
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed summary judgment against a federal inmate on his constitutional due process claims, finding that the reviews of his prolonged stay in solitary confinement may not pass constitutional muster.
Trump moves to get more conservatives on federal bench
The Trump administration Monday named 10 judges and other law professionals it plans to nominate for key posts as President Donald Trump works to place more conservatives on the nation’s federal courts.
Reports: Trump to nominate Notre Dame professor to 7th Circuit
President Donald Trump reportedly plans to nominate Notre Dame Law School professor Amy Coney Barrett to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.