Wrongful death suit against Fort Wayne police proceeds
The estate of a man who died from a cocaine overdose while chained to a desk in police custody may proceed with a wrongful death suit against the city of Fort Wayne, a federal court ruled.
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AG Hill signs Indiana onto retaliatory arrest case
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill has signed onto another multi-state Supreme Court amicus brief, this one challenging a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that allowed a retaliatory arrest lawsuit to proceed against Alaska police officers despite probable cause supporting the arrest.
Ex-student claiming sex assault sues Butler, fraternity
A lawsuit filed by a former Butler University student-athlete alleges the university and a now-suspended fraternity failed to take necessary action to remove an allegedly known sexual predator from campus, leading to the student-athlete’s rape at a fraternity party in late 2016.
Settlement reached in state police handcuffing of black teen
Louisiana State Police and a black Indiana man who was handcuffed and detained in New Orleans' French Quarter when he was a teenager in 2015 have settled a federal lawsuit. Terms of the settlement with the son of a Ball State University professor were not immediately disclosed.
AG Hill moves to block Marion County early voting sites
Marion County’s decision to open additional voting centers is being contested by Attorney General Curtis Hill, but the Marion County Election Board disputes his assertion that the agreement to offer more early voting sites is contrary to Indiana law or that the board lacked a unanimous vote.
Settlement reached in Indiana Title VII case that started judicial shift
Kimberly Hively, the adjunct math professor whose employment discrimination complaint changed Title VII law in the 7th Circuit, has settled with her former employer, Ivy Tech Community College. But the issue of whether the Civil Rights Act provision extends to sexual orientation continues to roil in other judicial districts and may yet be examined by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Challenge to Indy panhandling code proceeds in federal court
A federal lawsuit against the Indianapolis police chief will continue after a district court judge declined to abstain from hearing the case alleging a local ordinance restricting panhandling is unconstitutional.
SCOTUS agrees to hear Indiana civil forfeiture challenge
A lawsuit challenging Indiana’s civil forfeiture procedures will be heard by the United States Supreme Court after the justices granted a writ of certiorari to a case that a national legal organization says will have significant implications on Eighth Amendment protections nationwide.
Indiana court pilot project helps woman gain independence
Jamie Beck’s journey from being confined in a nursing home to living in her own apartment and working a full-time job was aided by a pilot project funded by the American Bar Association and run through the Indiana state court administration.
Family of Marion lynching victims opposes proposed memorial
Relatives of two black men who were lynched in 1930 in Marion say they oppose a proposed memorial honoring the two victims.
County inmates denied right to vote get certified as class
A federal judge in Fort Wayne recently certified a class of Allen County Jail inmates who were denied the right to vote in the November 2016 general election. The attorney representing the class said the case represents an opportunity to avoid similar future problems in other counties.
Judge: DOC must reinstate credit time for violating inmate’s due process
The Indiana Department of Correction must restore 90 days of credit time revoked from an inmate who was found guilty of being under the influence of intoxicants after a district court judge determined the prison violated the inmate’s due process rights in reaching that finding.
Justices: Attorneys can’t waive clients’ right to attend commitment hearings
A man whose attorney waived his right to be present at his mental health civil commitment hearing will be released from involuntary commitment after the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that attorneys may not waive a client’s right to be present at those hearings. The court also found that trial courts can independently waive a respondent’s presence but must do so at the beginning of a civil commitment proceeding.
COA orders withdrawal of guilty plea made without counsel
The Franklin Circuit Court must withdraw a first-time felon’s pleas to two drug counts after erroneously finding the man knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently waived his right to counsel, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.
Kennedy-King historic honor granted for Indianapolis park
The Indianapolis park where Robert Kennedy called for peace and unity just hours after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. has officially been designated a National Historic Site. The designation comes as events at the park mark the 50th anniversary of King’s death.
Legal battle between Southport official, police chief to continue
A politically charged legal battle between the Southport police chief and a city council member will continue after a district court judge partially denied the city’s and chief’s partial motions for judgment on the pleadings.
Kennedy-King Park legislation passes Congress
The Indianapolis park where Robert F. Kennedy pleaded for peace and calmed the crowd after the assassination of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is a presidential signature away from getting national recognition.
Indiana legislative session enters its final day
Indiana lawmakers entered the final day of the annual legislative session with a substantial amount of work left to do and a midnight deadline to get it done by.
Indiana Legislature taking pass on steps wooing Amazon
Indiana lawmakers are poised to wrap up this year’s legislative session without taking action to boost the chances of Indianapolis luring Amazon’s second headquarters and its tempting promise of 50,000 high-paying jobs.
ACLU of Indiana sues county over ‘not my mayor’ sign
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana has filed a lawsuit against Randolph County after a Winchester resident was ordered to remove a sign from her yard expressing opposition of an elected official in her city.