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.
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AG Hill says his office is investigating USA Gymnastics
The Indiana attorney general says his office is investigating USA Gymnastics, which has filed for bankruptcy due to the Larry Nassar sexual-abuse scandal.
Scotty’s Brewhouse founder sued over Carmel restaurant deal
Scotty’s Brewhouse founder Scott M. Wise, along with Indianapolis-based Scotty’s Holdings LLC and two Arizona-based parties, are facing a lawsuit from a former business partner of Wise’s who claims he was defrauded out of his $300,000 investment in the restaurant chain.
Ex-officers’ wiretap lawsuit against Pittsboro police advances
A lawsuit by former officers against Pittsboro police claiming the department secretly recorded their conversations in violation of federal wiretapping laws will proceed, a federal judge has ruled.
Justices take 2 cases, deny 18, split over 2
Indiana Supreme Court Justices granted transfer in two cases last week concerning a father convicted of killing his infant daughter with a pillow and a piecemeal child in need of services adjudication.
Judge threatens sanctions in DOC suit; attorneys claim honest mistakes
Two Indianapolis attorneys accused of filing false declarations on behalf of their state clients in an inmate’s excessive force lawsuit are facing federal court sanctions for the alleged misconduct, though the attorneys claim the issues giving rise to the court’s concerns were the result of honest mistakes.
Lawyer doesn’t help his own cause in federal court discipline matter
A Merrillville lawyer who asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana to reconsider discipline imposed on him drew a harsh reply from the court, which said his conduct “lends further support to … concerns about his competence as a lawyer.” The district court denied John H. Davis' motion to reconsider his removal from the court's Roll of Attorneys last week.
Supreme Court certifies another 50 senior judges for 2019
The Indiana Supreme Court has certified or re-certified 50 judicial officers as senior judges for the coming year.
St. John man charged in Illinois woman’s hit-and-run death
A northwestern Indiana man has been charged in the hit-and-run death of a suburban Chicago woman.
Judge’s rebuke of Flynn upends sentencing, prolongs case
A federal judge who described himself as disgusted by Michael Flynn’s behavior upended a straightforward sentencing hearing Tuesday, postponing punishment for President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser and telling him in a stinging rebuke, “Arguably you sold your country out.”
Trump says he’s eager to sign sweeping criminal justice bill
The Senate passed a sweeping criminal justice bill Tuesday that addresses concerns that the nation’s war on drugs had led to the imprisonment of too many Americans for nonviolent crimes without adequately preparing them for their return to society.
Questions in med-mal case bring 7th Circuit reversal
A Fort Wayne medical malpractice insurance company got a reprieve from having to cover a multi-million verdict in a wrongful death lawsuit after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the grant of summary judgment, finding too many questions are unanswered.
Wrongful death suit reinstated in IPS student’s murder
The Indiana Court of Appeals reinstated a wrongful death lawsuit against Indianapolis Public Schools when it found genuine issues of material fact as to Arlington Community High School’s duty to supervise its students after a teen’s murder nearby.
Indiana attorney charged with mail fraud still at large
Federal authorities are still searching for a former South Bend attorney who faces several charges of mail fraud stemming from his alleged involvement in an investment scheme that exploited elderly victims.
COA: Negligence claim rightly denied in fatal heart attack wreck
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the grant of summary judgment to a man’s estate in a negligence lawsuit, finding his incapacity to drive due to a heart attack was not reasonably foreseeable.
Lawyer facing jail time for forgery, counterfeiting
A northern Indiana lawyer could be sentenced to nearly two years in jail after she pleaded guilty Tuesday to forging a judge’s name on a phony divorce decree and sending a bogus email bearing a deputy prosecutor’s name. Jill N. Holtzclaw of Decatur pleaded guilty to Level 6 felony counts of forgery and counterfeiting Tuesday in Adams Superior Court.
AG Hill in minority praising ruling against ACA mandate
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill spent Monday morning on cable television news channels applauding a federal court’s ruling that found the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, but Republican leaders in Indiana remained silent.
15-month prison term for Porter Co. cop who stole from police group
The former treasurer of a Valparaiso police organization has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for stealing nearly $190,000. Lawrence LaFlower told a federal judge Monday that “everything revolved around gambling,” which is why he began embezzling money from Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 165 in Valparaiso.
S. Indiana man hears charges in chase that killed Charlestown officer
Benjamin Eads of Freedom appeared in court Monday in Scott County on charges including auto theft and resisting law enforcement, which led to a death. Authorities say Eads fled a traffic stop on Dec. 12, triggering a police chase during which Charlestown Officer Benton Bertram’s vehicle struck a tree. Bertram was pronounced dead at the scene.
ILAS pushing harder on holiday campaign
The Indianapolis Legal Aid Society has again kicked off its annual holiday campaign, the nonprofit’s major fundraiser that has undergone many tweaks and alterations in recent years but remains the primary source for unrestricted dollars.