Police: Woman tried to hide syringes in her son’s pocket
A Muncie woman faces preliminary neglect charges for allegedly trying to hide syringes, one of them uncapped, in her son’s pocket.
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Animal abuse alleged at northern Indiana’s Fair Oaks Farms
Retailers began pulling Fairlife products from their shelves Wednesday as police investigated alleged animal abuse after an animal rights group released graphic video showing workers kicking and throwing young calves at an Indiana dairy farm that’s a popular destination for school field trips.
IPAC chief Powell stepping down in October; successor chosen
A new leader has been selected to head the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council as longtime executive director David Powell announced his retirement from the role Thursday. Powell has been a leading Statehouse voice advocating on criminal law matters for nearly a decade.
Unruly defendant rightly tossed from court, COA rules
A Montgomery County man thrown out of his own trial for disruptive conduct has failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that he was wrongly denied his right to be present. But the appellate panel did vacate one of the man’s convictions on double jeopardy grounds.
7th Circuit debt collection ruling creates split among circuits
A woman who wasn’t informed she needed to respond to a debt collection letter in writing lost at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, whose ruling that the collection agency simply made a mistake that didn’t cause her any injury created a split among circuit courts. Three judges authored a published dissent from a subsequent denial of rehearing en banc.
Indiana Supreme Court blocks disputed Brownsburg annexation
Brownsburg has lost its final bid to annex nearly 4,500 acres of land after fighting residents who objected all the way to the Indiana Supreme Court. Justices ruled the town “did not satisfy its burden of proving it had met the statutory requirements for annexing the disputed territory.”
Justices: Trucking contract jurisdiction dispute may yield new rules
The Indiana Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of a Hoosier trucking company’s amended complaint regarding a clause in a driver’s contract, although it found error with the dismissal’s basis on lack of personal jurisdiction. Justices also said this case will prompt consideration of rules so litigants can move to enforce contractual forum-selection clauses.
9th Circuit weighs if climate change violates children’s rights
In a Portland, Oregon, courtroom packed with environmental activists, federal judges wrestled Tuesday with whether climate change violates the constitutional rights of young people who have sued the U.S. government over the use of fossil fuels.
Nurse who battered stroke patient gets probation
An Indiana nurse convicted of battering a hospital stroke patient has been sentenced to six months of probation.
Man appeals convictions in double murder over Prada purse
A Fort Wayne man convicted of fatally shooting two people while trying to retrieve a luxury purse is appealing his convictions and 170-year sentence.
Woman gets unsupervised probation for leaving racist letter
A woman who police say admitted leaving a racist letter at the home of a family with a biracial son has been sentenced to 180 days of unsupervised probation.
Not guilty plea entered for Indiana sitter in child’s death
A not guilty plea has been entered on behalf of a northeastern Indiana babysitter charged in the death of a young child she was caring for last year.
White House tells 2 ex-aides to defy congressional subpoena
The White House is again directing former employees not to cooperate with a congressional investigation, this time instructing former aides Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson to defy subpoenas and refuse to provide documents to the House Judiciary Committee.
Judge questions reasons for Indiana abortion procedure ban
A federal judge grilled an attorney for the state of Indiana on Monday over whether the Legislature had legitimate reasons for approving a law that would largely ban a second-trimester abortion procedure.
AG Hill’s bid to block Marion County early voting plan fizzles
The heated dispute ignited by Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill’s effort to block Marion County’s early voting plan ended with a whimper at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Monday after both sides acknowledged a change in the voting method nixed the need for a ruling from the federal appellate bench.
CLE, fee violations lead to suspension of 144 attorneys
Nearly 145 attorneys have been suspended from the practice of law in Indiana, including national and international practitioners, after they failed to either pay annual fees and/or comply with continuing legal education requirements or both.
Hendricks Judge Freese suspended 45 days over friend’s estate theft
Hendricks Superior Judge Robert W. Freese has been suspended from judicial office without pay for 45 days after appointing a friend as a trustee of an estate case he was presiding over and failing to take action when the friend did not fulfill his duties, resulting in a “massive theft.”
Supreme Court upholds father’s removal as administrator of son’s estate
The Indiana Supreme Court has upheld the removal of a father as the special administrator of his deceased son’s estate, writing that trial courts should hold hearings on special administrator appointments to avoid confusion caused by a “race to the courthouse.”
Divided Supreme Court upholds suppression of child molesting statements
An accused child molester who was not convicted due to a mistrial has won his argument that incriminating statements he made during a police interrogation were rightfully suppressed during trial because he was not read his Miranda warnings.
South Bend abortion clinic gets go-ahead from federal judge
A federal judge has granted an abortion provider’s motion for a preliminary injunction to open the doors of a South Bend abortion clinic without a state-required license, prompting an immediate appeal from the state.