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.
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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.
ABA offering free CLEs to attorneys impacted by government shutdown
With the federal government shutdown coming to the end of its fourth week, the American Bar Association is offering free continuing legal education programs to attorneys and others impacted as a result. Titled “ABA Cares 2019,” the national association is offering five free CLE programs to all lawyers and other professionals affected by the shutdown.
Plainfield attorney suspended with JLAP probation
A Plainfield attorney has been suspended for at least 180 days with two years of probation monitored by the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program after he accepted retainers from several clients but failed to adequately communicate with or appropriately advance their cases.
Justices appear ready to void Tennessee alcohol sales law
The Supreme Court appeared ready Wednesday to strike down a Tennessee provision that requires people to live in the state for two years before obtaining a license to sell alcohol. But 35 states, including Indiana, and the District of Columbia, are urging the court to uphold the two-year residency requirement.
Nonprofit reapplies to open South Bend abortion clinic
A nonprofit group that had been denied a state license to open a South Bend abortion clinic reapplied for one Thursday instead of challenging the decision in court. Texas-based Whole Woman’s Health Alliance reapplied for the license Thursday, avoiding what it feared would be a lengthy legal battle.
Excluded witnesses, admitted photos affirmed in murder trial
A man who murdered a woman in order to rob her of prescription drugs lost an appeal of his convictions when the Indiana Court of Appeals found there was sufficient evidence and that a trial court did not deprive him of a defense.
Daughter’s estate appeal backfires; COA awards fees
The Indiana Court of Appeals found a trial court’s decision to approve an estate administrator’s final account was not clearly erroneous. Instead, it noted that a woman appealing the order acted in procedural bad faith, and thus ordered her to pay appellate attorney fees.
Scott Circuit judge to resume his duties
The Scott Circuit judge will return to the bench after his monthlong stretch of temporarily being unable to perform his duties.
Ex-Gary city employee convicted in scheme to resell electronics
A former government employee in northwestern Indiana has been convicted in a scheme to use funds from the City of Gary to buy more than 1,000 pieces of computer equipment that she then resold.
South Bend attorney wanted for mail fraud arrested in Florida
An Indiana attorney wanted on several charges of mail fraud against elderly victims he allegedly exploited as part of an investment scheme has been arrested after federal authorities found him in Florida, according to the FBI.
Rush addresses needs of court ‘customers’ in State of the Judiciary
With applause amplified from all corners of the Indiana General Assembly’s House Chamber, the leader of the Indiana Supreme Court declared that the state judiciary is “sound, steady and strong” in 2019.
Women judges make history in Marion Superior Court
For the first time, four women judges have been elected to serve on the executive committee of the Marion Superior Court. The committee is responsible for operation and conduct of the Indianapolis courts and serves as the policymaking body for them.
U.S. Supreme Court again relists Indiana’s abortion petition
For the third time, the Supreme Court of the United States has distributed Indiana’s controversial abortion law for conference. The justices are now scheduled to review Indiana’s petition for writ of certiorari Friday.
Rush, Goff publish dissent on poverty as probation violation
A split Indiana Supreme Court denied a petition to transfer a homeless man’s probation violation appeal, with two justices writing in a published dissent that the litigant was an indigent man incarcerated for probation violations that resulted from his poverty, not his intentions.
Ex-New Haven City Court judge agrees to lifetime judicial ban
A northern Indiana city court judge who resigned at the end of the year after several judicial misconduct charges were filed against him has agreed to never again serve as a judge, the Indiana Supreme Court announced.