Indiana’s official COVID-19 case count passes 30,000
The Indiana Department of Health on Friday said the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the state has risen to 30,409, following the emergence of 473 more cases.
coronavirus
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‘I hear a roar’: May 2020 bar admittees make history with virtual admission ceremony
The May 2020 Indiana Bar Admission Ceremony was historic in several respects. Aside from taking place during a global pandemic, it was Indiana’s first virtual bar admission and the first where every admittee — all 105 — participated.
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Virtually empty: Courts try to keep dockets moving amid pandemic
Like the rest of the world, the judiciary has been walking a tightrope for the last six weeks, trying to keep courts open while protecting judges, staff, lawyers, litigants and the public from COVID-19 exposure.
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Law firms pivot to keep clients informed about COVID-19 issues
Law firms have been pivoting to marshal the resources needed to answer the questions clients and nonclients have about the coronavirus emergency through websites, emails, podcasts, webinars and more. The topics covered range from government initiatives such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Federal Reserve’s business loan program to unemployment benefits, force majeure clauses and cybersecurity.
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Working it out online: Mediation goes digital amid COVID-19
Nearly every legal function has transitioned to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic, and mediation is no exception. But the concept of online dispute resolution was gaining traction even before “coronavirus” was an everyday word.
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Articles
State reports rise in COVID-19 cases as testing hits another high mark
The Indiana State Department of Health on Thursday said the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the state has risen to 29,936, following the emergence of 662 more cases.
Holcomb to activate Stage 3 of reopening plan two days early
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday said he would activate Stage 3 of his pandemic reopening plan on Friday — two days earlier than previously scheduled.
COA prepares for first-ever virtual argument
The Indiana Court of Appeals’ first remote argument is scheduled to take place Thursday, just one week after the Indiana Supreme Court took an unprecedented step by hearing oral arguments through videoconference.
Indiana appellate courts extend certain emergency relief through June 14
A joint order from the Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Court of Appeals extended emergency relief that was previously set to run through May 18. The extension comes as a result of the ongoing public health emergency posed by COVID-19.
Newest stimulus bill likely dead, but support for legal aid funding lives
Legal aid received another $50 million boost in funding as part of the new economic stimulus bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, but while the measure is expected to stall in the U.S. Senate, support to appropriate additional money for legal services appears strong on both sides of the aisle.
Union: Inmate COVID-19 case at Terre Haute federal prison
A case of COVID-19 in an inmate has been reported at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, a prison workers union official said.
Indiana lawmaker loses assignments after Facebook post
A white Indiana state lawmaker has been removed from two committees after posting a meme that showed black children in diapers dancing with the caption, “We gon’ get free money!”
AG Hill: Indianapolis’ limit on religious services is unconstitutional
Attorney General Curtis Hill on Thursday said Indianapolis’ order limiting church gatherings to no more than 25 people amounts to “unconstitutional and unlawful religious discrimination.”
High court further expands video, phone proceedings during COVID-19
Indiana Supreme Court justices have permitted the expansion of remote proceedings until further order amid the coronavirus public-health emergency.
‘The wheels of justice must go on’: Indiana Supreme Court hears first remote arguments
Joining the trend of appellate courts nationwide, the Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday took the historic step of hearing oral arguments via videoconference in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Justices extend deadline for trial court transition plans to May 30
The Indiana Supreme Court has extended the deadline through May 30 for courts to submit transition plans for expanded trial court operations. The order also extends through the end of May emergency relief granted to trial courts in response to COVID-19.
Indiana AG, 13 others to Trump: Let’s hold China accountable for COVID-19
Republican attorneys general in Indiana and 13 other states asked President Donald Trump on Wednesday to form a state-federal partnership to hold China accountable for damages caused by the spread of the new coronavirus.
Study estimates 2.8% coronavirus infection rate for Indiana
A statewide study estimates that at least 2.8% of Indiana’s population has been infected by the coronavirus, a rate about 10 times that shown by previous testing, Indiana University researchers said Wednesday.
Indiana legislator accused of racist Facebook post, again
A white Indiana state lawmaker who was accused of posting something racist on Facebook last year is defending himself again after he posted a meme that showed black children in diapers dancing with the caption, “We gon’ get free money!”
Marion County to ease stay-home order Friday, with several restrictions
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett on Wednesday said he will begin easing Marion County’s pandemic stay-at-home orders on Friday but with several major exclusions not found in the state’s reopening plan.
Southern District extends COVID-19 in-person restrictions
No in-person proceedings will take place at the Southern District Court until June 15, except under emergency circumstances, the district court announced in a Tuesday order. That date, however, is subject to change depending on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in each of the district court’s four divisions, the order says.
Indiana Republicans call off in-person state convention
The Indiana Republican Party’s in-person state convention was called off because of the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday, with mail-in voting by delegates to decide the GOP’s contentious nomination for state attorney general.
Law schools help draw blueprints to migrating courts online
Examining a witness online made Sarah Kelly a little disconcerted. The Indiana University Maurer School of Law student was part of the patent trial class that spends an entire semester preparing a patent case then culminates in a mock trial. Typically the pseudo litigation takes place in a courtroom before a jury and real judge, but this year the COVID-19 emergency pushed the courtroom battle online.
As companies reopen, in-house lawyers feel the pinch
As companies have scrambled to stay solvent, in-house legal counsel have been working around the clock to keep up with the ever-changing pandemic response and guidance. What was relevant one day becomes irrelevant the next, leaving corporate lawyers with an information deluge to sift through.