AG Rokita continuing business advisory roles
Indiana’s new attorney general is being paid by private businesses for consulting work, including $25,000 a year for advising a Connecticut-based pharmaceutical company, according to a newspaper report.
conflict of interest
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Attorney General Rokita gives up private-sector job after scrutiny
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who drew scrutiny last month over his decision to retain employment with a health care benefits business while serving in his elected position, says he has given up the private-sector job.
Justices clear Knox County prosecutor in discipline case
The elected prosecutor of Knox County in southwestern Indiana has been cleared of a charge of “offensive personality” in an attorney ethics case arising from his conduct in a police investigation of a former deputy prosecutor’s sexual relationship with a woman serving time on meth charges. It’s the second time in days that justices have cleared an elected prosecutor in a discipline case.
Supreme Court clears Barnes attorney Mackey in discipline case
The Indiana Supreme Court has cleared a well-known attorney and former federal prosecutor of misconduct charges stemming from a nearly decade-old matter. The court found Thursday “that the allegations of misconduct were not proven” in a one-page judgment in favor of Barnes & Thornburg partner Larry Mackey.
Advisory opinion: Judges can advise family members behind the scenes
Indiana judges can advise family members on legal issues, but they must do so in a behind-the-scenes way that does not “trade on the prestige” of their office, a judicial ethics opinion issued Thursday says.
COA affirms denial of PCR petition in meth manufacturing case
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the denial of a man’s petition for post-conviction relief, finding he waived his ineffective-assistance-of-counsel argument.
Special prosecutor unwarranted despite deputy’s conflict, COA holds
A court order appointing a special prosecutor in an estate theft case was overruled Wednesday by the Indiana Court of Appeals, which found that despite a deputy’s apparent conflict of interest with the defendant, the entire prosecutor’s office did not need to be disqualified.
Allen County to hire outside lawyers for sheriff’s suit
A northeastern Indiana county will hire outside attorneys to defend its sheriff in a lawsuit stemming from his altercation last year with a teenage boy during a festival.
Hearing officer: No discipline necessary for lawyer in Park Tudor sex scandal
Despite a finding that prominent Indianapolis employment attorney Michael Blickman violated an ethical rule in his handling of a student-teacher sex scandal at Park Tudor High School, the hearing officer in Blickman’s disciplinary case is not recommending any action against his law license.
Source: AG Barr tells people he might quit over Trump tweets
Attorney General William Barr has told people close to him he’s considering quitting his post after President Donald Trump wouldn’t heed his warning to stop tweeting about Justice Department cases, an administration official told The Associated Press.
Barr swipes at Trump: Tweets make it ‘impossible’ to do job
Attorney General William Barr publicly swiped at President Donald Trump on Thursday, declaring the president’s tweets about Justice Department prosecutors and open cases “make it impossible for me to do my job.”
Barnes lawyer faces discipline over relationship with former client’s ex
A legal titan in the Indianapolis office of Barnes & Thornburg is facing attorney discipline charges over an alleged improper romantic relationship. The litigator and former federal prosecutor is accused in a disciplinary complaint of an improper relationship with the ex-wife of a former Fishers money-manager client who was convicted of securities fraud and is nearing the end of a 10-year prison sentence.
Ex-deputy prosecutor who retaliated against detective suspended
A former Knox County chief deputy prosecutor has been suspended from the practice of law for abusing his prosecutorial authority as part of a retaliation campaign against a detective who discovered his sexual relationship with a criminal defendant. The elected Knox County prosecutor also faces a related disciplinary case, according to the Indiana Supreme Court.
Real estate company sues law firm over HHGregg property deal gone awry
A Carmel-based real estate company has filed a lawsuit against Krieg DeVault, alleging the Indianapolis-based law firm’s failure to file a property deed in 2003 in a transaction involving defunct retailer HHGregg could now cost the real estate company millions of dollars.
Holcomb signs bill to legalize sports betting, allow Terre Haute casino
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed gambling legislation into law Wednesday — the last day the bill was eligible for action — bringing significant changes to Indiana’s casino industry this year.
Report: Bosma has deal arranged by casino investor
The leader of the Indiana House is skipping votes on a major gambling-related bill after a casino owner helped arrange a local government contract with his law firm.
Attorney general won’t recuse from overseeing Mueller probe
Attorney General William Barr will not recuse himself from overseeing the special counsel’s Russia probe after consulting with senior ethics officials, the Justice Department said Monday.
Lawyer reprimanded for unknowingly representing co-defendants in separate cases
The Indiana Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded a Terre Haute attorney who failed to realize he had agreed to separately represent two co-defendants, leading to his representation of both defendants in a matter in which one defendant wanted to testify against the other.
Convicted ex-ASC chief Burkhart loses bid to stay civil lawsuit
The former CEO of a nursing home company now serving prison time for his major role in a corporate fraud scheme has lost his bid to stay additional civil proceedings against him while he fights to have his convictions tossed on the basis of an alleged “profound conflict of interest” on the part of Indianapolis law firm Barnes & Thornburg.
Ex-nursing home CEO wants convictions tossed because of Barnes’ ‘profound conflict of interest’
The ringleader in one of the largest corporate-fraud cases in Indiana in recent years is asking a judge to throw out his felony convictions on the grounds that his legal team at the Indianapolis law firm Barnes & Thornburg failed to disclose a “profound conflict of interest.”