Judge dismisses part of Charlestown lawsuit tied to redevelopment plans
A federal judge has dismissed a portion of a lawsuit brought by landlords that alleged racketeering by Charlestown officials related to a planned redevelopment project.
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Web Exclusive: Litigation continues over PACER fees
A group of retired federal judges has learned life after the bench comes with PACER fees, and they are lending their voice to those questioning fees for public access to online federal court records.
Families not immune from vaccination debate
Arguments for and against vaccinations have grown in the national conversation as 12 states are currently battling an outbreak of measles. A recent Indiana trial court decision in a custody dispute demonstrated that disagreements over vaccinations also happen within families.
Justices reject B&B owner who denied room to gay couple
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday left in place Hawaii court rulings that found a bed and breakfast owner violated the state’s anti-discrimination law by refusing to rent a room to a lesbian couple. The justices rejected an appeal from Aloha Bed & Breakfast owner Phyllis Young, who argued she should be allowed to turn away gay couples because of her religious beliefs.
Supreme Court set for case on racial bias in jury selection
Curtis Flowers has been jailed in Mississippi for 22 years, even as prosecutors couldn’t get a murder conviction against him to stick through five trials. This week, the Supreme Court will consider whether his conviction and death sentence in a sixth trial should stand or be overturned for a familiar reason: because prosecutors improperly kept African-Americans off the jury.
Justices lengthen smartphone arguments, urge counsel to discuss mootness
A woman found in contempt for refusing to unlock her smartphone in a criminal investigation has informed the Indiana Supreme Court that her criminal cases have been resolved. Now, the high court wants to hear arguments over whether her ongoing appeal is moot.
U.S. Supreme Court still reviewing Indiana’s abortion petition
The wait continues as Indiana’s petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a pair of controversial prohibitions on abortion has been redistributed among the nine justices for a seventh conference.
Ex-Hamilton County addiction doctor loses suit against DEA, Carmel
Law enforcement officials who unsuccessfully brought charges against a Hamilton County addiction treatment doctor accused of overprescribing opiates have been cleared in a civil lawsuit the doctor filed against them.
SCOTUS rejects appeal of Lake Michigan public access case
The Supreme Court of the United States will not hear an appeal that sought to restrict public access to the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan. Justices let stand an Indiana Supreme Court decision that found a public access right to the state’s 45 miles of Great Lakes beaches.
Trump emergency declaration faces fights in the courts
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency along the southern border and predicted his administration would end up defending it all the way to the Supreme Court. That might have been the only thing Trump said Friday that produced near-universal agreement.
Justices to decide if 2020 census can ask about citizenship
The Supreme Court will decide whether the 2020 census can include a question about citizenship that could affect the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives and the distribution of billions of dollars in federal money. The justices agreed Friday to a speedy review of a lower court ruling that has so far blocked the Trump administration from adding the citizenship question to the census for the first time since 1950.
David, Rush publish dissent as high court lets stand sentencing via video
Indiana’s chief justice and the most senior jurist on the Indiana Supreme Court published a sharp dissent Tuesday from a 3-2 ruling that could pave the way for defendants to be sentenced via video. Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Steven David argued in the minority that defendants have a constitutional right to be physically present when a judge imposes a sentence for a crime.
Tenure requirement waived to certify St. Joseph senior judge
The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission has waived certain criteria in the certification of a new senior judge, finding ‘exceptional circumstances’ existed to warrant the waiver.
Indiana, Ohio leading 6th Circuit appeal supporting law regulating Kentucky abortion clinics
The Hoosier state has filed its second abortion-related appeal this week, this time urging a federal appeals court to uphold states’ authority to regulate abortion clinics. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill joined forces with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to lead a 16-state coalition in favor of a Kentucky law requiring abortion clinics to maintain transfer-and-transportation agreements with local hospitals and ambulance services.
Terre Haute denied summary judgment on ex-employee’s retaliation, negligence claims
A man who claims he was fired from his employment with the city of Terre Haute for defending a co-worker partially defeated a motion for summary judgment, with a judge finding the man’s claims of negligent supervision and retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act can proceed.
Indiana appeals 18-hour ultrasound injunction to U.S. Supreme Court
Indiana is again appealing to the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn a preliminary injunction blocking a state abortion law, this one requiring women to get an ultrasound at least 18 hours before the procedure. The provision was included in House Enrolled Act 1337, which was signed into law by then-Gov. Mike Pence in 2016.
IU student accused of sex misconduct denied injunction
A male student accused of sexual misconduct was denied a preliminary injunction to prevent Indiana University Bloomington from suspending him as a sanction from what he called a “fundamentally unfair disciplinary process.”
Senior judge to serve as Lake Superior pro tempore
A retired Porter County judge will begin serving as a judge pro tempore in the Lake Superior Court, Civil Division 4 after the sitting judge transfers next week.
Judge to DOC: Restore credit time for ‘unreasonable and arbitrary’ sanction
The Department of Correction must restore nearly six months of lost credit time to a Westville inmate after a federal judge determined the inmate’s disciplinary loss of credit time was “unreasonable and arbitrary.
Student’s suit against Butler in sex misconduct case voluntarily dismissed
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a motion to dismiss a case against Butler University brought by a male student who claimed he was falsely accused of sexual misconduct and expelled from the school as a result.