Trump taps D.C. Circuit Judge Kavanaugh for SCOTUS
President Donald Trump on Monday night nominated conservative District of Columbia Circuit Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States.
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Best practices, prevention discussed at upcoming Supreme Court opioid summit
Teams from all 92 Indiana counties will convene in a little more than two weeks to discuss how to best equip the Indiana judiciary when facing cases concerning the state’s growing opioid crisis. The Indiana Supreme Court will host the Statewide Opioid Summit: A Medication Assisted Treatment and Addictions Primer for Justice Professionals from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on July 25 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
Trump enjoys ‘suspense’ before Supreme Court choice
President Donald Trump is going down to the wire as he makes his choice on a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, but he says with his final four options, “you can’t go wrong.”
Hill vows to stay in office, demands investigation into groping allegations
Amid allegations of sexual misconduct against an Indiana lawmaker and growing calls for his resignation, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill vowed again Friday to stay put. Meanwhile, a Statehouse rally is planned for Saturday “to support victims of Curtis Hill.”
Criminal defense attorney charged with drunken driving
A prominent Indianapolis criminal defense attorney has been charged with drunken driving. David Hennessy was formally charged Thursday with Class A misdemeanor operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person and Class C misdemeanor operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration between 0.08 and 0.15.
Judge grants gag order against exoneration attorney
A northern Indiana judge has agreed to enter an injunction against a Chicago attorney accused of making “extrajudicial statements” in defense of a mentally-disabled man currently serving time for an Elkhart murder.
COA: Enhanced sentence not fundamental error
A man who sought a second resentencing after his 2003 murder convictions unsuccessfully argued that he was denied fundamental due process rights 15 years after being sentenced for four counts of murder.
Former nursing home executive handed 57-month prison sentence
Daniel Benson, the former chief operating officer of American Senior Communities, was sentenced Friday to nearly five years in federal prison for his role in a massive kickback scheme at Indiana’s largest chain of nursing homes. Indiana Southern District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt sentenced Benson to a 57-month sentence as part of a plea agreement.
DCS can’t litigate piecemeal CHINS cases, COA warns
If the Department of Child Services has enough concern to file a child in need of services petition, it should have enough evidence to win the case the first time around, the Court of Appeals warned Friday.
Who are Trump’s top Supreme Court contenders?
President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nomination is expected on Monday, with three federal judges leading the pack. Here's a look at who they are (plus three more who haven’t been completely counted out just yet):
Carmel swim coach faces federal charges for child porn, sexual exploitation of a minor
A suburban Indianapolis swim coach is facing federal charges alleging he shot video of himself having sex with one of his athletes. Prosecutors said Thursday that 29-year-old John C. Goelz has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography.
Special needs trust lawyer faces another theft charge
A suspended Indianapolis attorney who specialized in establishing special needs trusts before he was accused of stealing from those clients is facing felony theft charges in another Indiana county. Kenneth S. Service, 45, was charged last month with Class D felony theft in Delaware County, where he is accused of stealing $23,622 from a former client, authorities said Thursday.
COA: Husband must pay child support with interest
A husband who paid less than $200 of the child support he owed will now have to cover more than the arrearage amount after the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled the wife is also entitled to interest.
Source: Barrett among Trump’s top 3 SCOTUS contenders
President Donald Trump is closing in on his next Supreme Court nominee, with three federal judges including Indiana’s Amy Coney Barrett leading the competition to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.
COA cautions against claiming controversy amount limits
The Indiana Court of Appeals cautioned against plaintiffs proclaiming amounts in controversy will not exceed $75,000 unless they can be held to their word when it ruled in a semitruck crash case Tuesday.
Clark County Drug Court ‘ran roughshod,’ but litigants lose appeal
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday found litigants in Clark County’s troubled drug court endured significant deprivations of their constitutional rights — including sometimes being jailed for months without due process — but offered no relief in the appeal of their dismissed civil lawsuit.
Conour agrees to dismiss third appeal of wire fraud conviction
Convicted fraudster and former Indianapolis attorney William Conour has agreed to dismiss a third appeal of his 10-year federal prison sentence stemming from a 2012 wire fraud conviction for stealing more than $6 million from his personal-injury and wrongful-death clients.
Fort Wayne woman takes plea deal in threat against judge
A Fort Wayne woman accused of threatening to kill a judge has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in a deal with prosecutors. Ida Mae Wilson appeared in a Delaware County court on Monday and apologized for saying she would shoot Judge Thomas Cannon Jr. in a phone call to her son, who was in jail.
Elkhart woman ordered to stop unauthorized practice of law
An Elkhart woman has been ordered by the Indiana Supreme Court to cease the unauthorized practice of law in matters of immigration, business and family law.
Trump interviews 4 for Supreme Court, 2-3 more to go
President Donald Trump interviewed four prospective Supreme Court justices Monday and planned to speak with a few more, as he powered forward with a speedy selection process to fill the fresh vacancy.