COA to hear denied mistrial, attempted murder arguments in Lake, Wayne counties
The Indiana Court of Appeals will travel twice this week to hear arguments in Lake and Wayne counties involving a denied mistrial and attempted murder.
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Attorneys share discovery in Elkhart woman’s terror case
Prosecutors have said they are still determining which confidential items they can share with attorneys defending an Indiana woman who is accused of providing tactical gear and funds to two Islamic State fighters. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abizer Zanzi said at a status hearing in federal court Thursday that the government has shared discovery that is not confidential with the attorneys for Samantha Elhassani.
Anderson man gets probation in Indiana voter registration fraud case
A central Indiana man has been sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty to 30 misdemeanor counts of voter registration fraud stemming from allegations before the 2018 primary election. Datwaon Collier of Anderson entered the pleas Friday in Madison Circuit Court Division 6 in an agreement with Madison County prosecutors.
Law exempting Bloomington, W. Lafayette from rental fee cap struck down
Rental property owners in Bloomington and West Lafayette may be getting a reduction in their registration fees after the Indiana Supreme Court struck down the exemption that allowed the college towns to charge more to landlords than the $5 mandated in state statute.
Despite counsel’s error, defendant not entitled to relief, COA says
Despite a trial attorney’s failure to include a pretrial transcript in the record on a defendant’s direct appeal, the defendant is not entitled to post-conviction relief because the Indiana Court of Appeals would not have found prejudice in the attorney’s performance, the court ruled Friday in addressing the case for the second time.
COA credits defendant for time held prior to posting bond
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court and gave a Tippecanoe County man one day of credit, finding the rule of lenity required it to interpret the ambiguous sentencing statute in the defendant’s favor.
Reversal: Pre-trial home detainees entitled to credit time
A man previously denied earned credit time against his sentence received good news Friday when an appellate court reversed, finding he was wrongly denied his request. The court held pre-trial home detainees entitled to accrued time credit.
‘Vigilante’ who killed 2 trying to ‘clean up drug problem’ loses appeal
A man who murdered two people in a victim’s home after telling police he wanted to help “clean up the drug problem” in a southern Indiana county got no relief from his convictions or 121-year prison sentence on appeal Friday.
Rush again urges $1 million boost to civil legal aid
The Indiana Supreme Court made its case to the Legislature again this week for an additional $1 million in the state’s next biennial budget to support Hoosier civil legal aid.
E-filing now available in Putnam, Miami counties
Electronic filing is now available in Putnam and Miami circuit and superior courts, leaving just four more counties to implement to e-filing.
Southern Indiana District Court to offer CLE on black history
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will celebrate Black History Month by welcoming Marcia M. Anderson, the first African-American woman to achieve the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army and an attorney who spent more than 25 years as the clerk of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Venue transfer arguments face justices’ scrutiny
In back-to-back oral arguments, the Indiana Supreme Court considered whether to grant transfer in two medical malpractice cases seemingly in conflict with each other. The debate: whether Indiana Code § 23-0.5-4-12 is a validly enacted statute or a nullity under the Supreme Court’s interpretation of Trial Rule 75(A)(4) regarding venue.
Divided 7th Circuit lifts injunction against Indiana fetal-tissue research ban
An Indianapolis judge’s ruling that blocked an Indiana law effectively banning stem cell research derived from aborted fetal tissue was reversed by a divided 7th Circuit Court of Appeals panel Thursday. The 2-1 decision is a defeat for Indiana University researchers challenging the ban, and a dissenting judge questioned the state’s motivation and intent behind a law he said threatens IU research into potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders.
California governor signs moratorium on executions
The 737 inmates on the nation’s largest death row got a reprieve from California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday when he signed an executive order placing a moratorium on executions.
In 420-0 vote, House says Mueller report should be public
The United States House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday for a resolution calling for any final report in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation to be made public, a symbolic action designed to pressure Attorney General William Barr into releasing as much information as possible when the probe is concluded.
Bank’s arbitration award reversed for abuse of discretion
A small claims court’s confirmation of an arbitration award to a bank after its ‘dilatory conduct’ was reversed Thursday by the Indiana Court of Appeals, which found an abuse of discretion occurred in granting the bank relief several years after the case should have been dismissed with prejudice.
Relief petition filed after 15 years too late, COA says
A man seeking relief from his convictions was rejected when the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of his petition, finding he was too late after delaying his filing 15 years.
Justices grant transfer in three juvenile, young adult cases
The Indiana Supreme Court chose to grant transfer to three cases during the past week, including commitments to the Indiana Department of Corrections. The court also granted transfer and decided a case granting relief to a deported “Dreamer.”
‘Full House’ star to surrender in college admissions scandal
Fallout from a sweeping college admissions scandal swiftly spread Wednesday, with a Silicon Valley hedge fund replacing its leader and “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin expected to surrender and appear in court in Los Angeles.
Eastern Indiana farmer charged after dead cows found
An eastern Indiana farmer faces charges after 38 dead cows were found on his property in West College Corner in Union County.