Ruling awarding dad joint custody tossed for lack of findings
The ruling of a Marion County judge that awarded a father joint physical custody lacked sufficient reasoning and was reversed on appeal Thursday.
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Indianapolis’ Amazon offer can remain secret, COA affirms
Indianapolis’ offer of taxpayer money and financial incentives in an unsuccessful attempt to lure a coveted second Amazon headquarters can remain secret, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled, rejecting an appeal by a tax trade publication that argued the offer must be disclosed as a public record.
Indy Trump lawyer asks SCOTUS to toss Wisconsin vote
An Indianapolis attorney representing President Donald Trump has asked the United States Supreme Court to overturn the results of the Wisconsin election that Trump lost to President-elect Joe Biden by more than 20,000 votes.
Meth convictions upheld despite rewritten jury instructions
A trial court that rewrote the jury instructions offered by the Indiana Supreme Court proves everybody is an editor, but the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled the editing did not create an error that would overturn the defendant’s convictions.
Scott County party barn lawsuit untimely, COA affirms
A panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed for the Scott County Board of Commissioners and other defendants in a dispute brought by a farm owner who dislikes the idea of having a barn event venue constructed next to her home.
COA affirms judgment to Menard, Inc. following motorcycle crash
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed a judgment favoring Menard, Inc. following a Southern Indiana motorcycle crash that occurred when a couple hit a wooden pallet in the middle of the road, injuring one rider.
Appeals panel finds for church in snowy parking lot slip-and-fall case
A woman injured after slipping in an icy church parking lot could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that her fall was caused by a hidden danger and that her negligence suit was wrongly decided.
Indy firm behind Trump Wisconsin election challenge weighs SCOTUS bid
With little more than a week before a joint session of Congress will formally count votes of the Electoral College that President-elect Joe Biden won by a 306-232 margin, President Donald Trump continues to bend the ear of an Indianapolis attorney who unsuccessfully argued to overturn Wisconsin’s election results.
Split COA reverses post-conviction denial in teen murder case
A split Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed the denial of a teenager’s petition for post-conviction relief of his murder conviction, finding his attorneys performed deficiently in a 2017 trial related to the fatal shooting of a South Bend toddler.
Punch Bowl Social restaurant chain files for bankruptcy
The restaurant-and-entertainment chain Punch Bowl Social, whose Indianapolis location at 120 S. Meridian St. in Circle Centre mall has been closed since the start of the pandemic, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
Man loses constitutionality appeal of child-porn conviction
Indiana’s child pornography statute is not unconstitutionally vague, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, rejecting a northern Indiana man’s challenge to his conviction. The appeals court also found the evidence against the defendant was supported a jury’s guilty verdict.
Lawsuit challenges Indiana laws on disposal of fetal remains
An Indianapolis abortion clinic is suing the state of Indiana, challenging provisions of a state law upheld last year by the U.S. Supreme Court requiring fetal remains to be buried or cremated after an abortion.
‘It all starts with the family’
With a pending move to a new courthouse, Marion County Courts are launching a new family division that aims to follow a one family, one judge model.
Indiana commercial courts branching out
Indiana’s commercial court docket is expanding for the first time, with four new venues opening in 2021. Hamilton, Madison, St. Joseph and Vigo counties will join Allen, Elkhart, Floyd, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh counties in offering the specialized business dockets.
Community Justice Campus nears completion
Marion County’s ambitious plan to put the various pieces of the local justice system onto a single campus is on schedule to be completed at the end of 2021. The Indianapolis-Marion County Community Justice Center, located just southeast of downtown in the Twin Aire neighborhood, will be home to the county jail, the sheriff’s office and the county courthouse. Earlier this year, the Assessment and Intervention Center opened and is treating individuals with mental health and addiction issues.
COA upholds gang-related sentence enhancement
An Evansville man whose sentence was enhanced for gang-related activity could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that he was prosecuted twice for the same offense in violation of the Indiana Constitution.
Appeals panel splits on division of $1M retirement accounts in prenup dispute
A dispute over the terms of a prenuptial agreement has resulted in the division of part of a man’s nearly $1 million retirement accounts with his ex-wife. A dissenting judge, however, would not award the wife any portion of the retirement funds.
Statehouse rotunda appellate filing drop box available again
The Indiana Statehouse rotunda filing drop box is once again accessible for appellate case filings as public access to the Statehouse has been reinstated, the Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Court of Appeals have announced. As such, appropriate in-person filing at the clerk’s office is once again permitted.
Supreme Court certifies, recertifies senior judges
The Indiana Supreme Court has certified two additional judicial officers as senior judges for 2021.
High court rules challenge to Trump census plan is premature
A divided Supreme Court has dismissed as premature a challenge to President Donald Trump’s plan to exclude people living in the country illegally from the population count used to allot states seats in the House of Representatives.