Stepfather who proved paternity can’t deprive ex of joint custody
A man who fathered a child while the mother was married to another man lost his appeal Tuesday that sought relief from a court order concerning the child's custody.
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Judge: Court discriminated against deaf man by denying mediation interpreter
A deaf Indianapolis man was discriminated against when a court denied providing him an interpreter during a mediation session ordered in his child custody case. A federal judge ruled Friday that Marion Superior Court’s decision to deny the interpreter in a court-funded mediation program violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
7th Circuit: Probationary phone records are admissible evidence
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled evidence of a deceased man’s phone numbers provided to his probation officer is not inadmissible hearsay and those records should be included in another man’s criminal case.
Judge orders release of documents in Trump University suit
A federal judge with connections to Indiana is ordering the release of Trump University internal documents in a class-action lawsuit against the now-defunct real estate school owned by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
COA questions evidence in Patel feticide conviction
The Indiana Court of Appeals recently heard arguments in a case that could impact any pregnant woman whose actions result in the death of her unborn child.
Judge’s actions move IBM case back to Supreme Court
There appears to be no end in sight to the ‘extraordinary’ canceled welfare contract lawsuit involving the state and IBM.
Darryl Pinkins’ freedom a long, emotional battle for IU professor, students
Darryl Pinkins walked out of prison a free man in April after almost 25 years, exonerated in a heinous 1989 rape by advances in DNA forensics. But before the science could free him, Pinkins needed someone to believe in his innocence.
Disciplinary Actions – 6/1/16
Read who’s recently been disbarred, suspended or reinstated by the Indiana Supreme Court.
High-profile cases deplete county’s public defender fund
Officials are blaming an increase in drug-related activity and crime spilling over from Indianapolis for draining a suburban county's $500,000 public defender fund.
Federal Bar Update: Southern District’s proposed local rule on court appointments
As an active participant in drafting and review of the Local Rule, this author has observed first-hand the careful, thoughtful and patient consideration by the court of the clear need for more lawyers to take on more pro bono cases in the court, and the balance of limits on an individual lawyer’s time and resources to take on these cases.
Federal judge weighs order to halt homeless camp sweeps
A federal judge is weighing whether to issue an order barring Fort Wayne from conducting periodic sweeps of the city's homeless camps.
Indiana ministry sues zoning board over dairy farm approval
An eastern Indiana ministry that operates a children's church camp is suing zoning officials over their approval of a large dairy farm that would be built within a half-mile of the camp.
COA: Court cannot order juvenile to pay restitution as a civil judgment
The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled a trial court may not order a juvenile to pay restitution as a civil judgment after a minor was ordered to pay restitution in two cases where he violated his probation.
Man charged in Madison bombings targeting police, judge
Federal authorities announced Friday a 37-year-old Madison man has been charged in connection with two pipe bombings that rattled the Ohio River city in March.
Indiana Supreme Court deadlocks on protective order case
The Indiana Supreme Court reinstated an Indiana Court of Appeals decision in a protection order case it took on transfer after the four justices deadlocked on how to resolve the case.
Valparaiso woman gets $200K for sexual harassment at Purdue
Attorneys for a Valparaiso woman say Purdue University has paid her a $200,000 settlement after she alleged she was sexually harassed by two professors while serving as a graduate student and teaching assistant.
7th Circuit grants en banc hearing in Indiana prison death suit
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals set aside its ruling affirming summary judgment in favor of a medical services provider in an Indiana prison death lawsuit, ordering a review by the full panel of circuit judges.
Billionaires are allowed to pay for people to sue their enemies
One of the weirder court cases in recent memory became even stranger this week when news broke that Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker was being secretly funded by billionaire Peter Thiel.
COA upholds adoption venue transfer
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld transfer of an adoption petition from Greene to Monroe County Circuit Court, ruling Monroe was the preferred venue because of other cases related to the petition that also were happening there.
COA: Man did not have expectation of privacy after he was tracked by GPS
Tracking of man by GPS did not violate his Fourth Amendment or Indiana constitutional rights, the Court of Appeals ruled, because he did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. The appellate court upheld Joseph Sidener's Class C felony burglary conviction and the finding he is an habitual offender.