Woman gets 2 years in prison for death of boy hit by SUV
A northern Indiana woman has been sentenced to two years in prison in the death of a 7-year-old boy who was run over with her sport utility vehicle.
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DCS reform bill passes House
The Indiana House of Representatives has unanimously signed off on a bill implementing reforms in the Indiana Department of Child Services – a bill that is just one of several designed to assist the troubled state agency.
Supreme Court releases censored appeal by foreign government
An unidentified foreign government is asking the Supreme Court to get involved in a case that may be part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. The appeal doesn’t identify the country, a company it controls or even the lawyers who are representing it, but it says the justices should make clear that a federal law that generally protects foreign governments from civil lawsuits in the U.S. also shields them in criminal cases.
Justices to hear ‘piecemeal’ CHINS litigation, auto part supply cases
Indiana Supreme Court justices will hear oral argument in two cases this week, including a dispute over “piecemeal” litigation in a children in need of services case and an auto assembly supply dispute coming before the court on petition to transfer.
Legislature takes first step toward regional public defender offices
The Indiana General Assembly has taken the first step toward allowing Indiana counties to create regional public defenders’ offices, a change that has been championed as a means of reducing public defender caseloads and eliminating the appearance of judicial impropriety when appointing indigent defense.
Reversal: CHINS adjudication unsupported by future safety concerns
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the adjudication of a baby found to be a child in need of services after finding that the Department of Child Services failed to prove the parents’ mental health issues seriously endangered the baby.
Justices agree to hear Rainbow Realty rent-to-own dispute
The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer to two cases last week, including a rent-to-own contract dispute that Indiana Legal Services claims could adversely impact Hoosier tenants across the state if not reviewed by the high court.
Indiana Court Decisions — Jan. 3-17, 2019
Read Indiana appellate court decisions from the most recent reporting period.
DCS still drawing numerous reform bills in Legislature
Legislators in 2018 introduced a slew of bills trying to bring more collaboration and modest adjustments to the Department of Child Services. Lawmakers this year have introduced at least 25 bills impacting CHINS, foster parents and DCS caseloads, among other things.
Indiana case shines spotlight on solitary confinement
No one denies that Aaron Isby-Israel made bad, even criminal, choices that landed him in the Indiana Department of Correction. What is disputed is whether Isby should have remained in solitary confinement for a total of 28 years.
High court lets military implement transgender restrictions
The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to go ahead with its plan to restrict military service by transgender people while court challenges continue. The high court split 5-4 in allowing the plan to take effect, with the court’s five conservatives greenlighting it and its four liberal members saying they would not have.
Notre Dame law students help women, children seeking asylum
Students and faculty from Notre Dame Law School and local immigration advocates volunteered over the holidays with the Dilley Pro Bono Project in Texas, which helps women and their children seeking asylum in the United States.
Sexual harassment bills target public official misconduct
After sexual misconduct and harassment allegations were leveled at Attorney General Curtis Hill and House Speaker Brian Bosma, harassment-related legislation is again being considered by the General Assembly, this year taking specific aim at accused elected officials.
Rush stresses ‘customer service’ during 2019 State of the Judiciary
With a theme of “Addressing the Needs of our Customers,” Indiana courts plan to emphasize quality customer service in 2019, Chief Justice Loretta Rush said in her State of the Judiciary address.
Full Senate set to consider juvenile attempted murder waiver legislation
The full Indiana Senate on Tuesday will consider legislation that would waive Hoosier children as young as 12 into adult court if they are charged with attempted murder.
Supreme Court inaction suggests DACA safe for another year
The Obama-era program that shields young immigrants from deportation and that President Donald Trump has sought to end seems likely to survive for at least another year. That’s because the Supreme Court took no action Friday on the Trump administration’s request to decide by early summer whether Trump’s bid to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was legal.
South Bend police wiretapping dispute continues
A long-running dispute over wiretapping within an Indiana police department will continue and could go to trial after city officials rejected a proposed agreement with officers who want to block the tapes’ release. The South Bend Common Council last week unanimously voted to reject any settlement agreement that may have been reached in mediation.
Recovery home founder gets early prison release in drug case after SCOTIN review
The founder of a drug recovery home for women in southern Indiana has been released from prison just weeks after the state’s high court revised her original 30-year drug-related sentence. Lisa Livingston was released Wednesday from Rockville Correctional Facility after serving nine months.
Parents surrender on charges in 4-month-old’s heroin death
The parents of a 4-month-old boy who are facing neglect charges after the child died last February of heroin intoxication in Madison County have turned themselves in to authorities. The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office this month charged 28-year-old Daniel E. Jones and 29-year-old Tiffany McNutt of Alexandria with felony neglect of a dependent.
COA: Sports bar owed duty to man punched by drunk patron
A Lake County sports bar lost its appeal against a patron suing for personal injury when the Indiana Court of Appeals found it was foreseeable to the bar that one of its drunk patron’s was looking for a fight.