Biden administration officially withdraws vaccine rule
The Biden administration has officially withdrawn a rule that would have required workers at big companies to get vaccinated or face regular COVID testing requirements.
coronavirus
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COVID-fueled conflict: Family law attorneys say pandemic has made clients more angry and emotionally distressed
The coronavirus has added a dose of anxiety and emotional distress that is causing an unprecedented level of conflict between spouses and ex-spouses, according to family law attorneys.
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Inmates seeking COVID compassionate release face higher hurdle with 7th Circuit ruling
Since March 2020, attorney Kathryn DiNardo has taken up dozens of cases through the Indiana Federal Community Defenders from inmates hoping to be released early because of the pandemic. Those cases are but a drop in the bucket of inmates who have applied for compassionate release, and a July ruling from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has seemingly further dwindled their chances of success.
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Vaccine mandates still contested issue inside law offices, courts as president prepares requirements
Whether by choice or force, COVID-19 vaccine mandates are changing operations in law offices and courtrooms across the country.
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Miller to lead ISBA through implementation of new strategic plan, continued COVID concerns
Indianapolis lawyer Clayton Miller will be tasked with helping to implement the Indiana State Bar Association’s new strategic plan as president of the state bar, a position he’ll assume Oct. 15. Miller will also lead the bar through the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he wants to address other big-picture issues impacting Hoosier legal professionals.
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Articles
High court won’t hear pandemic proxy voting dispute
The Supreme Court has rejected a challenge from House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy to the proxy voting system that Democrats put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Criminal case against former Celadon execs headed for court
More than two years after they were indicted on multiple fraud charges, two former Celadon Group Inc. executives are soon to have their day in court — if the pandemic allows it.
Indiana’s pro bono hours, dollars drop in pandemic
The pro bono hours and contributions Indiana lawyers reported in 2020 were down from the previous year, but the dip is attributed to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the numbers are expected to turn upward in 2022.
Escape Room locations sue SBA after missing out on pandemic relief funds
The Escape Room USA locations in Fishers and Indianapolis are suing the U.S. Small Business Administration, hoping to be recognized as live entertainment venues that qualify for pandemic relief funds.
COVID forces Marion County to halt all jury trials until end of January
The Marion Circuit and Superior Courts are suspending all jury trials until the end of January because of the ongoing surge in COVID-19 illnesses, with nearly 100 court personnel testing positive for the coronavirus.
Sotomayor, Gorsuch deny report they were at odds over masks
Two Supreme Court justices say a media report that they were at odds over the wearing of masks in court during the recent surge in coronavirus cases is false.
Allen Superior Court pauses jury trials due to COVID-19
The Allen Superior Court will halt jury trials until at least Feb. 14 due to the latest surge in COVID-19 infections and illnesses in the community, the court announced Wednesday.
Indiana House passes bill to limit employer vaccine mandates
The Indiana House has passed a controversial bill that would restrict employers who mandate the COVID-19 vaccine, sending it to the Senate for consideration.
Indiana law firm combination market sees activity despite pandemic
Law firms completed 41 mergers in 2021. The total was up slightly from 40 in 2020, but well below the historical average of 55 mergers per year over the previous decade. Despite the slow down, Indiana’s legal community still saw some combinations take place during the pandemic.
Johnson and Hehner: Lessons learned from a law firm merger during a pandemic
When Clendening Johnson & Bohrer merged with Hehner & Associates on March 15, 2020, just days before the lockdown, it was unimaginable how the practice of law would change between then and now.
US faces wave of omicron deaths in coming weeks, models say
The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, but COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing and modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the wave subsides in mid-March.
After Biden’s first year, the virus and disunity rage on
For President Joe Biden, it’s been a year of lofty ambitions grounded by the unrelenting pandemic, a tough hand in Congress, a harrowing end to a foreign war and rising fears for the future of democracy itself. Biden did score a public-works achievement for the ages. But America’s cracks go deeper than pavement.
Southern District denies prisoner’s compassionate release request prompted by COVID-19 concerns
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana denied Thursday a prisoner’s request for compassionate release based on a fear of contracting COVID-19, finding no extraordinary and compelling reasons to reduce his sentence.
Indiana House removes employer penalty from vaccine mandates bill
House lawmakers on Thursday removed language from a controversial employer vaccine mandates bill that would have allowed fired unvaccinated employees to be eligible for unemployment at the expense of their employer.
Businesses react to ruling against Biden vaccine mandate
For companies that were waiting to hear from the U.S. Supreme Court before deciding whether to require vaccinations or regular coronavirus testing for workers, the next move is up to them.
Ruling raises new questions about remote testimony in court
An overturned conviction in Missouri is raising new questions about video testimony in criminal court cases nationwide, and the ruling could have ripple effects through a justice system increasingly reliant on remote technology as it struggles with a backlog of cases during the coronavirus pandemic.
Supreme Court halts COVID-19 vaccine rule for US businesses
The Supreme Court has stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job. At the same time, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S.
Lake County halts jury trials through Jan. 31 over COVID-19
Jury trials have been halted through Jan. 31 in Indiana’s second most populous county because of rising local infection rates and hospitalizations from COVID-19, a judge said Wednesday.
Public health emergency bill moves forward in Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate’s version of legislation to enact administrative tools to end the state’s public health emergency passed in committee unanimously on Wednesday, with backing from business and health care leaders.