Broken gun still a firearm for felon-conviction purposes
A gun that can no longer shoot is still a gun for purposes of federal firearms convictions, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
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Presence of alternate juror in deliberation room not reversible error
A man’s conviction of methamphetamine and firearms crimes in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana was not prejudiced by the presence of an alternate juror in the deliberation room, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
7th Circuit affirms defense verdict in motorcycle crash
A woman who lost her legs after an Indianapolis motorcycle crash isn’t entitled to a new trial even though hearsay evidence was improperly admitted, including her statements that the crash was her fault.
7th Circuit: no liability insurance coverage for associate’s error
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a Northern District judge’s conclusion that a Dyer law firm’s professional liability insurer did not have to cover a mistake by an associate in a client’s failed business deal because the firm didn’t timely notify its insurer of a potential malpractice claim.
Judge allows Corcoran to appeal denial of habeas corpus
Joseph Corcoran, who has been sentenced to death for killing four men in 1997, will be allowed to appeal the denial of his petition for habeas corpus to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Man may not have drug sentence reduced after pleading guilty
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of a defendant’s request to reduce his sentence after he pleaded guilty to distributing crack cocaine. The judges also pointed out concerns with the use of a form order in his case.
7th Circuit rules against homeowners on quiet title action
A Hamilton County couple who went into default on their home mortgage loan had the dismissal of their action to quiet title and claims of negligence and unconscionability upheld Friday by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Appeals court tackles sex offender use of social media
Two months after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the state’s law prohibiting sex offenders from using certain social media sites, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled that Indiana Code 35-42-4-12 violates an Elkhart County man’s First Amendment rights.
Durham, other guarantors must post collateral on bond
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that Tim Durham and two other men who promised to indemnify and post collateral on a surety bond issued by Frontier Insurance Co. must post collateral on that bond.
Judges deny prisoner’s request to appeal without paying fees
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a man’s argument that he and other prisoners do not need to pay appellate filing and docketing fees, and so a District Court’s certification of appeal is irrelevant.
7th Circuit again reverses drug sentence for minor role reduction
A man convicted of a federal charge that he transported drug money will be sentenced a third time after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday in a nonprecedential opinion that a resentencing the court ordered in 2010 did not sufficiently consider his minor role compared with conspirators.
Judges uphold $600k sanction for contempt
After initially vacating a District judge’s $600,000 sanction against SonCo Holdings for contempt of court and remanding it to the lower court for more proceedings, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the sanction Friday.
7th Circuit affirms kidnapping and extortion convictions, sentence
Finding no error in the admittance of three photo identifications of a defendant following charges of kidnapping and extortion, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Lamar Sanders’ convictions and 25-year sentence Thursday.
5 sitting jurists to judge moot court competition Friday
A panel of distinguished judges, including one from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, will be on hand Friday evening to hear final arguments in a case involving judicial recusal and eminent domain as part of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition.
Bankruptcy ruling locks out insiders
A recent bankruptcy appeal tossing an Indianapolis shopping center’s reorganization plan further establishes that the control of equity in Chapter 11 cases will be subject to competitive bidding and that insiders might be out of luck.
Circuit Court rules utility contract falls in state jurisdiction
A dispute between a power generator and an electricity wholesaler should be heard in the state court, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled after finding the central issues did not arise under federal law.
High-priced Chicago firm handling Durham’s appeal pro bono
Just because Tim Durham isn’t paying a lawyer to handle the appeal of his 50-year federal prison sentence doesn’t mean he’s getting shortchanged.
7th Circuit rejects hospital’s claims for $20M more in federal aid
Columbus Regional Hospital, which was flooded following heavy rains in southern Indiana in 2008, is not entitled to an additional $20 million in disaster relief funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in addition to the $70 million it already received, the 7th Circuit concluded Wednesday.
7th Circuit Bar seeks Indiana attorneys to honor
Each year, the 7th Circuit Bar Association honors members of the legal profession for their pro bono and public service work who are from the host state of the association’s annual meeting. Indiana is hosting the meeting May 5-7 in Indianapolis.
7th Circuit orders proposed plan of reorganization open to competitive bidding
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Southern District Bankruptcy judge Thursday, finding the judge incorrectly ruled that competition was unnecessary in a plan of reorganization involving a shopping center.