Legal aid filing fee bill moves to House
A bill that would extend the $1 filing fee on civil cases submitted to Indiana state courts has breezed through the Senate and is now headed to the House of Representatives.
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Woman exonerated in murder loses appeal over fingerprint errors
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals declined to allow a plaintiff to seek money damages against an Elkhart County detective who incorrectly identified latent fingerprints as those of a woman convicted of murder in 2002. The panel ruled that despite his training, the detective was still considered an expert on fingerprint identification.
COA affirms drug convictions
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the convictions of a man convicted on a litany of drug-related charges after finding that the evidence was sufficient to support his convictions and that there were no constitutional violations or court errors that harmed his case.
ILAS sees red ink flow into budget
Even coming off a holiday fundraiser that pulled in just over $150,000, the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society is expecting the 2016 expenditures will throw its budget in the red for the first time in decades.
Indiana pain medicine doctor faces 55 felony charges
An Indiana doctor faces 55 felony charges after federal investigators say he traded pills for work on his farm among other accusations.
Delaware County approves $16K for dog to help kids in court
Delaware County officials have approved plans to acquire a service dog to aid young people in the juvenile court system.
Senate to hear bill banning attorney indemnification clauses
A bill designed to prevent attorneys from prohibiting clients from filing legal malpractice claims will soon be heard by the full Indiana Senate.
COA reverses denial of summary judgment to bank
The Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled that U.S. Bank is a bona fide purchaser of an Indianapolis property and was entitled to summary judgment after finding that the mortgage an investment company held on the property could not be found by an adequate title examination.
Judge rules for Teamsters, notes plaintiff’s gambling bills
The owner of a defunct trucking business who sued an Indianapolis Teamsters local alleging interference with business relationships lost her case, and a judge used his order to point out that money withdrawn from the company’s bank account for gambling sprees occurred at the same time the union alleged its health benefits went unpaid.
House panel advances Marion County judicial selection bill
Despite public concerns that a bill for choosing Indianapolis judges would reduce diversity on the bench, deprive Marion County residents of the right to directly elect jurists and elevate political considerations, a House committee Wednesday advanced a merit-selection measure supported by lawyers, judges and the business community.
COA: Company cannot withhold ‘voluntary’ deductions from ex-employee’s pay
A plumbing and electrical company cannot impose “voluntary” tax deductions on a former employee’s final paycheck without statutory authority, nor can it force that employee to pay a $1,000 insurance deductible after an auto accident, the Indiana Court of Appeals held Monday.
Supreme Court upholds man’s life sentence
An Elkhart County man who smoked synthetic marijuana then stabbed his girlfriend to death was unable to convince the Indiana Supreme Court that his sentence of life without parole was unconstitutional.
Bankruptcy filings continue to fall
Bankruptcy filings hit a 10-year low nationwide in 2016, a new federal judiciary report shows.
Justices revise sentence of man with mental illness
The justices of the Indiana Supreme Court have revised the sentence of a Daviess County man with a history of mental illness who was convicted of burglary, drawing on the dissent of Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Paul Mathias, who advocated for treatment for offenders who are mentally ill.
7th Circuit vacates denial of prisoner’s request for help finding counsel
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated a district court order denying a request to help an inmate living in another state recruit counsel for an Indiana case, noting that without counsel or a medical expert, the inmate will be unable to build a strong legal case.
COA: Restitution must be based on value of damaged car, not upgraded vehicle
Trial courts must award restitution based on the cost of an item that was stolen or damaged, not the cost of upgrading to a new item, the Indiana Court of Appeals held Wednesday, so the Marion Superior Court erred when it ordered restitution based on the cost a woman incurred in purchasing a newer vehicle after a wreck.
7th Circuit affirms denial of evidentiary hearing, post-conviction review
The appointed public defender for a man convicted and sentenced for distributing cocaine tried to advise his client to accept a plea agreement, so that client cannot appeal on the basis of ineffective assistance of counsel, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.
Trump intends to announce his Supreme Court pick on Feb. 2
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he intends to announce his nominee for the Supreme Court on Feb. 2, and three federal appeals court judges are said to be the front-runners to fill the lifetime seat held by the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative icon.
District court declines to stop Supreme Court disciplinary hearing
A federal judge has declined to intervene in an Indiana Supreme Court disciplinary proceeding against a northern Indiana attorney who claims he is being discriminated against in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Supreme Court suspends attorney for misrepresentation, domestic battery
The Indiana Supreme Court has suspended from practice a Chicago attorney who misrepresented his abilities to a client and was convicted of battery against his wife.