Former LaPorte mail carrier charged with not delivering mail
A former LaPorte mail carrier has been accused of paying someone to dispose of 11,000 pieces of mail and hiding another 6,000 in his home.
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Signature waived right to jury trial, COA affirms
A Clay County defendant waived her Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial when she signed a form acknowledging the deadline to demand a jury, then missed that deadline, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in an opinion upholding the denial of the defendant’s untimely jury trial demand.
COA: Gun admissible under inevitable discovery rule
A gun was admissible as evidence in a battery trial despite its location through an unwarranted search because it inevitably would have been discovered, despite any Fourth Amendment violation, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled.
COA rejects missing witnesses argument in murder appeal
A man convicted in a Marion County drug-related murder has lost his appeal of his conviction after the Indiana Court of Appeals determined the trial judge was not required to admonish the jury about the absence of two witnesses without a request from the parties.
JNC to interview 12 for COA seat
Each of the 12 applicants who applied to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Indiana Court of Appeals will interview with the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission on April 30 and May 1. The applicants are vying to succeed retiring COA Judge Michael Barnes.
Divided COA finds evidence of prior bad acts harmless
A majority of the Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a Howard County man’s drug convictions and sentence, finding any error in the admission of evidence of prior bad acts was harmless. The dissent, however, provided a lengthy history of state and federal caselaw to highlight why she believed the error was prejudicial.
Ohio court to decide if ex-Irish player can sue over concussions
The Ohio Supreme Court will decide whether the widow of a former University of Notre Dame football player can sue the school and the NCAA over allegations her husband was disabled by concussions from his college career in the 1970s.
USA Gymnastics sues insurance carriers amid Nassar lawsuits
USA Gymnastics is suing its insurance carriers, alleging that they haven’t been fully reimbursed for defense costs incurred in lawsuits filed by victims of disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar.
COA orders withdrawal of guilty plea made without counsel
The Franklin Circuit Court must withdraw a first-time felon’s pleas to two drug counts after erroneously finding the man knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently waived his right to counsel, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.
7th Circuit nominees set for committee vote
The nominations of Michael Scudder, Jr., and Judge Amy St. Eve, the Illinois nominees for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, are scheduled for a vote by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Thursday. If approved by the committee, the pair will go on to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
Pryor to be officially sworn in as magistrate judge Friday
Doris L. Pryor, the newest magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, will be officially sworn in later this week.The court announced Pryor’s appointment as magistrate judge in November, filling a vacancy created by the Aug. 2, 2017 death of Magistrate Judge Denise K. LaRue after a battle with cancer.
40 apply to fill 3 pending Marion County judge vacancies
Forty Indianapolis attorneys and judicial officers have submitted their names for consideration to fill three upcoming vacancies in the Marion County courts. The field will be narrowed to nine, from which Gov. Eric Holcomb will select new judges to succeed three retiring judges.
7th Circuit upholds judgment for bank in insurance funds dispute
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld judgment in favor of U.S. Bank in a complaint under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act after finding the plaintiff failed to show how the bank’s allegedly inadequate response to a letter inquiring about insurance funds contributed to her legal injuries.
Indiana’s Brady, Hanlon tapped for federal judgeships
Two Valparaiso Law School graduates are included in the latest round of judicial nominations released Tuesday by the White House. Holly Brady of Fort Wayne and J.P. Hanlon of Indianapolis have been nominated for the federal bench in the northern and southern Indiana district courts, respectively.
Judge awards $150K for lawyer’s infringement of Indy skyline photo
A district court judge has awarded more than $150,000 in damages to McCordsville attorney Richard Bell in the most recent decision in a long line of copyright infringement cases stemming from a photo of the Indianapolis skyline.
Council votes to prohibit new jail from being privatized
The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night approved an ordinance that restricts the city’s new jail and criminal justice center from being run by a private operator once it eventually opens.
Crowded Evansville jail to move inmates to Illinois, Kentucky
Inmates at the overcrowded jail in Evansville will be getting a road trip as officials move them to jails in Illinois and Kentucky to alleviate the congestion.
Insurer agrees to $1.6M settlement over autism therapy
Insurance company Anthem has agreed to pay more than $1.6 million to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Indiana parents who were denied coverage for therapy for their children with autism.
Trump: Raid on his lawyer abuses attorney-client privilege
Federal agents have raided the office of President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen, seizing records on topics that include a $130,000 payment made to porn actress Stormy Daniels, who says she had sex with Trump. The raid prompted a new blast Tuesday from the president, who tweeted that “Attorney-client privilege is dead!”
Lake County tax case dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction
A northern Indiana trial court must dismiss a case it originally transferred to the Indiana Tax Court, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday after finding insufficient evidence to prove the tax court’s jurisdiction.