Indiana woman pleads guilty in abuse death of daughter, 3
A southern Indiana woman has pleaded guilty in her 3-year-old daughter's abuse death and injuries suffered by the girl's older sibling.
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Common Cause, NAACP sue over Marion County early voting
Marion County’s single location for early voting provides unequal access to the ballot, argues a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by Common Cause and the NAACP. Plaintiffs in the case allege Indianapolis’ sole early voting precinct is discriminatory and constitutes voter suppression.
Pro bono reporting results draw mixed reaction
The first round of data collected from Indiana’s new pro bono reporting rule invoked opposing reactions among the members of the Coalition for Court Access who recently reviewed the numbers. Some thought the amount of time and money lawyers donated to legal aid was shameful, while others were thrilled with the level of giving.
Unique Indy merit-selection system replaces voided elections, faces likely challenges
Judges in Indianapolis won’t have to worry about running for election in the future, but they will face up-or-down retention votes under a bill signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb April 27. The system to replace the current one ruled unconstitutional was adopted by lawmakers despite warnings that the new system also is spoiling for a fight in court.
Holcomb to choose next Supreme Court justice from trio of trial court judges
The three people Gov. Eric Holcomb is considering as the next Indiana Supreme Court justice are a repeat-finalist former Gov. Mike Pence considered for the same position last year; a candidate who is a decade younger than the rest of the court; and a southern Indiana trial court judge elected to the bench as a Democrat.
Mediators seeing a rise in attorneys arriving unprepared
The rustling of papers and the sight of attorneys sifting through documents to find information has led Vanessa Lopez Aguilera to conclude attorneys increasingly are arriving unprepared for mediation.
Indiana appeals order blocking abortion ultrasound mandate
Indiana is appealing a federal ruling that blocks a state mandate forcing women to undergo an ultrasound at least 18 hours before having an abortion.
Indiana Supreme Court ends lawyer’s legal quest for Pence emails
The Indiana Supreme Court is denying a request from a lawyer who wanted his public records case against Vice President Mike Pence to be given a fresh look.
Appeals court won’t reconsider net neutrality ruling
A federal appeals court said Monday it won't reconsider its ruling to uphold the government's "net neutrality" rules that require internet providers to treat all online traffic equally.
Supreme Court says cities can sue banks under US housing law
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled Monday that cities may sue banks under the federal anti-discrimination in housing law, but said those lawsuits must tie claims about predatory lending practices among minority customers directly to declines in property taxes.
Kansas judges back off effort to keep jurors’ names secret
Indiana is one of several states where courts don’t have to release jurors’ names.
Man convicted in IU student’s death appeals 80-year sentence
A man serving an 80-year prison sentence for the beating death of an Indiana University student is appealing his sentence.
Charter school facing suit warns of potential ‘chaos’
An Ellettsville charter school affiliated with a religious institution warns that if a federal lawsuit targeting the school’s state funding is successful, similar charter schools statewide could face “chaos.”
City court judge resigns same day Supreme Court issues reprimand
The Indiana Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a northern Indiana judge Friday convicted of felony battery against a public safety official after an altercation with a local police chief. As part of the agreement, the judge resigned effective immediately.
Supreme Court rejects ‘dark box’ case, lets Tax Court ruling stand
A divided Indiana Supreme Court has denied review to a tax case involving the use of vacant, or “dark,” retail store properties in determining tax assessments for similar-functioning retail properties, allowing the Indiana Tax Court’s ruling in the case to stand.
‘Purge’ shooter pleads guilty to murder, robbery
A suspect in Indianapolis’ May 2016 “purge” killing has pleaded guilty to murder and felony armed robbery, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday.
Summary judgment for DCS on age, sex discrimination charges affirmed
The Indiana Department of Child Services did not discriminate against a former employee seeking to come out of retirement when it declined to move him through the interview process, the Indiana Court of Appeals decided Friday.
COA affirms closing of unsupervised estate
In a dispute between two northern Indiana sisters, the Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the trial court’s decision to close the unsupervised estate of the sisters’ father, finding that the trial court did not apply the wrong legal or statutory standards when closing the estate.
Appeals court upholds decision to block Anthem bid for Cigna
A federal appeals court on Friday left in place a decision blocking Indianapolis-based Anthem Inc.’s bid to buy rival health insurer Cigna Corp, saying that a bigger company is not better for consumers.