Articles

Open government advocates find victory in Groth decision

Not much was changed in terms of government transparency when the Indiana Court of Appeals rejected former Gov. Mike Pence’s argument that the Indiana executive branch’s responses to open record requests are exempt from judicial review. But, according to open government advocates, that lack of change is actually a good thing.

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COA: Trial court lacked jurisdiction to order BMV to act

The Indiana Court of Appeals found in favor of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles Monday after finding that a litigant’s failure to comply with the Administrative Order and Procedures Act left a trial court without jurisdiction to order the BMV to act on the litigant’s petition.

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Lawsuit: Trump businesses violate Constitution

A lawsuit Monday alleged that President Donald Trump is violating the emoluments clause of the US Constitution that prohibits him from receiving money from diplomats for stays at his hotels or foreign governments for leases of office space in his buildings. The suit was filed by a legal watchdog group, but the language of the clause is disputed by some legal scholars, setting the stage for a court fight with the White House.

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COA considers liability in sheriff’s office suicide case

After the wife of a Harrison County sheriff’s deputy killed herself with her husband’s gun while he was off duty, the sheriff’s office and her estate began debating a single question: was the deputy acting in the line of duty when his wife committed suicide?

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Magistrate recommends dismissal of woman’s dog-mauling suit

Despite “horrendous injuries” incurred as a result of “a grievous lack of discretion” by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers, a district court magistrate recommends an Indianapolis woman’s federal claim against IMPD and the city of Indianapolis be dismissed because she did not state a legitimate constitutional claim.

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Divided COA backs Pence in public records case

A divided Indiana Court of Appeals sided with former Indiana Gov. and Vice President-elect Mike Pence in a Monday opinion, writing that Pence was within his discretion to redact and withhold certain documents sought through a public records request.

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Ventura loses appeal to reinstate $1.8M defamation verdict

The Supreme Court of the United States has turned away former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura’s bid for reinstatement of a $1.8 million verdict in his defamation case against the estate of slain Navy SEAL and “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle.

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