Orleans man guilty in Bedford drive-thru shooting
A jury in Lawrence County has convicted a southern Indiana man of fatally shooting another man in a McDonald’s drive-thru lane last year.
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Indictments? Impeachment? A look at Trump’s legal woes
A bad day in court for his former associates could foreshadow hard days ahead for President Donald Trump. But it’s unlikely he’ll find himself in a courtroom facing criminal charges, at least while he’s president.
COA: Sex offender registration is mandatory collateral consequence
Despite arguing his guilty plea did not include a sex offense, a Steuben County man will have to remain on the state’s sex offender registry after the Indiana Court of Appeals found registering was a collateral consequence for his conviction.
Smartphone privacy first impression case splits COA
Law enforcement cannot force a Hamilton County woman to unlock her smartphone as part of criminal investigation because doing so would violate Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, a divided panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals held on an issue of first impression that combined constitutional law with technological advancements.
Retaliation, discrimination, wage claims keep pace with hot economy
Claims of workers being harassed or denied opportunities because of their race, national origin, gender, age or sexual orientation are continuing despite diversity in the workforce and employers’ heightened need for labor amid low unemployment.
Applications open to succeed retiring Allen Judge Levine
The Allen Superior Court Judicial Nominating Commission is now accepting applications from candidates who wish to fill a second pending vacancy in the county’s superior court. Applications to succeed retiring Judge Stanley Levine will be accepted through Sept. 14.
Crown Point man gets 15-year prison term in terror-related case
A Crown Point man who pleaded guilty to terror-related charges has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen on Monday also sentenced Marlonn Hicks of Crown Point to three years of supervised release, to be served after his prison term.
Indiana Court decisions – Aug. 2–15, 2018
Read Indiana appellate court decisions from the most recent reporting period.
Elkhart wrongful conviction case latest in county’s justice system
An effort to exonerate a man with limited mental capacity who was convicted of murder 13 years ago is the latest in a string of criminal cases that have put a spotlight on the extraordinary number of wrongful convictions in Elkhart County.
Fighting fear, stigma of impairment due to mental health issues
Legal employers interested in helping colleagues impaired by issues such as substance abuse, depression or cognitive degeneration now have a versatile toolkit they can customize to meet the needs of their attorney and the organization.
Hill enduring backlash in voting lawsuits
Even as the office of embattled Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is pleading for more time to challenge a ruling that found changes to the state's voter registration statute violated federal law, it's taking another election dispute to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
7th Circuit vacates denial of benefits to man with shooting pain and numbness
Finding an administrative law judge did not evaluate the credibility of a claimant and instead relied on the testimony of a physician who had not even examined the patient, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the denial of Social Security benefits to an Indiana man.
7th Circuit says vacated Fourth Amendment case was ‘close call’
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated and remanded a motion to suppress two firearms from a vehicle search after it determined the search was unwarranted due to a lack of reasonable suspicion after an anonymous tip was made.
Appellate Court: $1.3 million awarded in minor vehicle accident not excessive
A more than $1 million verdict awarded to a woman in a minor vehicle accident was upheld by the Indiana Court of Appeals, which affirmed the verdict in light of the woman's serious lifetime impairments.
COA affirms denial of shooter’s request to proceed pro se
The Court of Appeals affirmed Monday the decision not to let a Vanderburgh County man who shot up an Evansville rescue mission to proceed pro se, finding his history of mental illness justified the trial court's requirement that he proceed with counsel.
Allen County JNC to interview candidates to replace Surbeck
The Allen Superior Court Judicial Nominating Commission will interview seven applicants next week to fill an upcoming vacancy in the court’s Criminal Division. The applicants are vying to succeed Judge John Surbeck, one of two longtime Fort Wayne jurists who will retire at the end of the year.
Affirming juvenile DOC placement, COA seeks effective counsel guidance
A 15-year-old who had multiple instances of violent rage and who could no longer be controlled by his parents was properly placed in the Department of Correction, an Indiana Court of Appeals panel found. But judges also used the case to ask the Indiana Supreme Court for guidance on measuring the effectiveness of counsel in similar juvenile cases.
Prosecutors cite ethics rules to Hill in abortion lawsuit
Three Indiana prosecutors are renewing their calls for Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill to concede on their behalf the merits of lawsuit that blocked a 2018 abortion law and told the AG's staff in an email that Hill is obligated under the Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct to follow their directive as his clients. Hill, however, maintains he is authorized to defend the statute on behalf of his "ultimate client:" the people of Indiana.
Assumptions in bankruptcy case leave 7th Circuit ‘colored skeptical’
Assumptive arguments made by a bankruptcy trustee suing former bank directors were rejected by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, which said his assertions colored the court skeptical.
7th Circuit: Contract enforceable by mutuality of obligation
A contract dispute between a rubber product maker and its supplier was settled when the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a decision that claimed the parties’ agreement was unenforceable.