Man sentenced in 1980 killing of off-duty Hammond officer
A Gary man convicted in the 1980 shooting death of off-duty Hammond police officer Lawrence Pucalik has been sentenced to 47 years in prison.
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Marion County jury to hear capital case in Fort Wayne
Jurors from Marion County will hear the case of a Fort Wayne man facing death penalty charges stemming from the deaths of four people.
COA allows environmental cleanup claims filed after 10 years
In a decision about the cleanup and redevelopment of an old industrial site, the Indiana Court of Appeals has provided a definitive answer to a long-simmering debate among Indiana environmental lawyers.
Indiana law professors sign letters opposing Kavanaugh confirmation
Law professors from all four of Indiana’s law schools have signed letters asking the United States Senate to oppose the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. One letter argues Kavanaugh lacks the temperament to be seated on the nation’s highest court, while the other asserts he was not fully vetted and that his judgments would erode civil and individual rights.
COA: No error in calculating $35K in attorney’s fees
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the award of more than $35,000 in attorney’s fees, despite a lawyer’s argument that the amount awarded to a plaintiff in an employment suit was miscalculated.
Key GOP senators hit Trump for mocking Kavanaugh accuser
Two wavering Republican senators lambasted President Donald Trump on Wednesday for mocking a woman who has claimed Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the 1980s, underscoring the risks of assailing Kavanaugh’s three accusers as Senate support teeters for the Supreme Court nominee.
USA Diving wants dropped from lawsuit alleging sex abuse
Indianapolis-based USA Diving is seeking to be dismissed as a defendant in a federal lawsuit from several female divers who say they were sexually abused and exploited by a former coach who worked in Ohio and Indiana.
Man pleads guilty in fiery June crash that killed woman
A northeastern Indiana man charged in a fiery June car crash in Fort Wayne that killed his girlfriend has pleaded guilty in the case.
New COA judge Tavitas honored as ‘true public servant’ at robing ceremony
There are many adjectives friends and colleagues used to describe Elizabeth Tavitas, the newest Indiana Court of Appeals judge, when they gathered to celebrate her ceremonial robing on Monday. But as each speaker described their unique experiences with Tavitas, there was a common theme running through each set of remarks: service.
Beloved friends remembered at Indy Red Mass celebration
As the Catholic Church is being rocked again by another clerical sex abuse scandal, the Indianapolis St. Thomas More Society held its 59th Annual Red Mass Monday evening and did what everyone does in times of heartache – turned to the comfort of old friends. In Indiana, dioceses in Lafayette, Gary, Fort Wayne and Evansville, along with Indianapolis, all held Red Mass services this year.
Lawyer accused of theft from disabled held without bond amid new charges
A suspended Indiana lawyer accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from disabled and special needs clients was held without bond Tuesday in the Johnson County Jail after authorities in at least two counties had issued warrants for his arrest. Kenneth Shane Service was arrested Monday and is likely to remain behind bars until he’s transported to await court dates in three Indiana counties where he currently faces felony theft charges.
COA reverses firearm conviction after erroneous continuance
An Evansville firearm conviction against a convicted felon must be reversed after the Indiana Court of Appeals found a trial court erred in granting the state’s request for a continuance six days before trial.
Judge grants summary judgment to Indianapolis in ‘horrendous’ police dog bite case
A lawsuit filed by an Indianapolis woman who suffered “horrendous” injuries after she was mistakenly mauled by a police dog will not proceed after a federal judge granted summary judgment to the city of Indianapolis and dismissed the remaining defendants from the case.
Appellate court upholds robbery, conspiracy convictions
A northern Indiana man who planned and executed the robbery of a home after being invited to stay at the residence has lost his appeal of his convictions and sentence before the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Not lost in translation: Mediation with non-English speakers
When parties arrive for mediation and extend their hands in greeting, James Browne understands the cultural differences that can be conveyed in the handshake. Browne, partner at Goodin Abernathy LLP in Indianapolis, has been a registered mediator since 2010 and offers bilingual mediation services.
Domestic violence coalition grows network of lawyers to help survivors
The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s Satellite Attorney Program offers free civil legal services to low-income victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. The program has a network of just over 100 attorneys across Indiana and, since January 2016, has provided legal advice or counsel, including direct representation, in roughly 350 cases.
Monroe County Judge Ken Todd retiring after more than 40 years
As he reflects on his career before his Oct. 15 retirement, Monroe Circuit Judge Kenneth Todd says his interactions with litigants and courtroom colleagues has been the best part of his 40-year stint on the bench. “I intended to do it for one term, but I found that it was a good fit for me,” he said of his judicial career.
Indiana Court Decisions — Sept. 13-26, 2018
Read Indiana appellate court decisions from the most recent reporting period.
Counties ask study committee for more judicial help, courts
Rising caseloads and crowded jails are prompting five Indiana counties, to date, to request more magistrates and courts.
White House gives FBI freer rein in Kavanaugh investigation
The White House has given the FBI clearance to interview anyone it wants to by Friday in its investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The new guidance was issued to the FBI over the weekend in response to Democratic and news media pushback that the scope of the probe was too narrow.