Small town law: Stories of justice among the backroads, cornfields
Indiana Lawyer traveled to four rural counties, finding that despite their challenges, the bonds of community and commitment to justice remain strong.
Courthouses
Articles
COA: 100-year sentence for juvenile not a constitutional violation
A DeKalb County man who as a juvenile pleaded guilty to two murders and was sent to prison for an aggregate 100 years was denied post-conviction relief after the Indiana Court of Appeals found his sentence did not violate constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment because he will be eligible for parole in 2040.
COA continues terms of justice center lease in Floyd County
Although the city of New Albany argued holdover tenants should not be given “another bite at the apple,” the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed its original ruling that continued occupancy of the criminal justice center maintains the terms and conditions of the lease even after the agreement as expired.
Judge blocks Indiana law banning second-trimester abortion procedure
A federal judge late Friday issued an injunction blocking a new Indiana law from taking effect that would have prohibited the most common procedure used to perform second-trimester abortions. Senior Judge Sarah Evans Barker’s 53-page order blocks enactment of House Enrolled Act 1211, which she noted banned “an abortion procedure known to medicine as ‘dilation and evacuation’… and referred to by its political opponents as ‘dismemberment abortion.’”
Complex questions about justice center site safety concern prosecutor, public defender
Since the Marion County judges hired their own environmental consultant to review the remediation plans for the property where the new justice center is slated to be built, the Marion County prosecutor and public defender offices have started raising their own concerns about the level of contamination and safety of their workers.
Contamination at justice center site concerns judges
After being home to a gas and coke facility for nearly 100 years, the land designated for the new Marion County Community Justice Center has a toxic legacy buried deep in its soil. Judges have asked for a second opinion on the environmental health of the location in the Twin Aire neighborhood of Indianapolis.
Contamination at new Marion County justice center site raising concerns
An independent environmental assessment of the site for the new Marion County jail and courthouse has some judges questioning if the property will pose a health hazard to the people working and visiting the courts, but others are cautioning to not let fear dictate decision-making.
Birch Bayh memorial set for May 1 at Statehouse
A memorial service to honor former United States Senator Birch Bayh will take place at noon May 1 at the Indiana Statehouse. Bayh, who represented the Hoosier state in Washington from 1963-1981 after becoming the youngest-ever Indiana House speaker in 1954, died last month at age 91.
Indiana legal community remembers legacy of Birch Bayh
Bayh, who died March 14 at the age of 91, is being remembered by the Indiana legal community for his extensive career in public service and leadership on the major issues of his time, including civil rights and women’s rights.
Web Exclusive: Franklin circuit judge finds community through art
Rising up above the town of Brookville sits the historic Franklin County courthouse, nestled into a hollow encircled by rolling hills. On most days, Franklin Circuit Judge J. Steven Cox can be found sitting on the bench inside that courthouse. But he also may be found sitting behind an easel, painting it.
Federal courts’ cost-cutting extends funding another week
With the partial shutdown of the federal government the longest in history, the federal judiciary announced its cost-cutting measures have given it enough funding to remain in session at least until Jan. 25.
Statewide e-filing hitting the homestretch
The advent of electronic filing has changed the way Hoosier attorneys do business. Tasks that once required lawyers and their staffs to sift through Bankers Boxes and drive to courthouses can now be completed with just a few keystrokes. As of the end of 2018, 85 of Indiana’s 92 counties had implemented voluntary e-filing, with many of those counties now requiring attorneys to file at least some documents electronically.
Organization wants Jackson County to remove Nativity scene
An organization that promotes the separation of church and state wants Jackson County in southern Indiana to remove a Nativity scene from the courthouse lawn in Brownstown.
Attorney ID card renewal for City-County Building access begins
The Marion County Court Administrator’s Office has announced the renewal schedule for attorney identification cards to the City-County Building. These cards allow attorneys to bypass the lines waiting to go through security screening and get direct entry without having to be searched.
Goshen courthouse clock to get overhaul for 150th birthday
A clock that’s told the time since the early 1900s from its perch atop a northern Indiana courthouse is getting a full overhaul ahead of its 150th birthday.
Broken elevator causes months of woes at Peru courthouse
A broken elevator at the Miami County Courthouse in Peru has caused problems for months for people who can’t make it up three flights of stairs to pay taxes or get to court hearings.
Indiana courthouse bombing case unsolved after 20 years
Authorities have yet to name a suspect or make an arrest 20 years after someone attempted to bomb the county courthouse in Lafayette with a stolen pickup truck full of drums of diesel fuel and gasoline.
Lake Circuit asbestos abatement may alter proceedings
The main courtroom for Lake Circuit Court in Crown Point began a four-month asbestos abatement Monday that may change the location of some court dates, Circuit Judge Marissa McDermott announced in a letter to the bar. The courtroom — Room B-203 — will be under construction, which may affect the proceedings of the Lake Circuit and probate courts
‘Let us begin:’ Ground broken for Indy Criminal Justice Center
The ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Marion County Criminal Justice Center was more than the symbolic start of construction, Indianapolis City-County Council President Vop Osili said — it was the start of the city taking a groundbreaking step toward criminal justice reform.
Minority-owned firms vie to build Indianapolis justice center
Building Indianapolis’ massive criminal justice center will be a bonanza for the companies that land the work — and minority-owned firms are angling to ensure they are among the beneficiaries. If the city meets its goals, that would mean $154 million would go to minority-owned firms — 27 percent of the $571 million project.