Boston Marathon bomber’s lawyer urges jury to spare his life
A lawyer for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev urged a jury Monday to spare the young man's life, portraying him as "a good kid" who was led astray by his belligerent older brother.
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Small Indiana town sued for rejecting proposed cell tower
A company that wants to build a cellphone tower in northeast Indiana is suing a small town, alleging the Zanesville Town Council is violating the federal Communications Act by using zoning ordinances to keep a wireless communications facility out.
Ex-Valpo attorney pleads guilty to wire fraud, money laundering
Former Valparaiso lawyer Clark Holesinger will plead guilty to federal wire fraud and money-laundering charges accusing him of stealing $2 million, according to an information announced Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.
Lawsuit against hip replacement maker to remain in Indiana
The lawsuit brought by 19 people in Virginia and Mississippi against Warsaw, Indiana-based DePuy Orthopaedics alleging injuries from a now-recalled hip implant will remain in Indiana over the medical manufacturer’s objections.
Judges dismiss appeal over deposition prep time
Because a trial court’s decision to deny ordering the defendants to pay for the time the plaintiffs’ expert witness spends preparing for his defense deposition is not a final judgment, the plaintiffs should have appealed under Ind. Appellate Rule 14(B). Since they did not, the Indiana Court of Appeals dismissed their appeal.
County can’t raise tax to fund emergency expenses
The Indiana Tax Court affirmed the decision by the Department of Local Government Finance to deny the Clark County Board of Commissioners’ request to increase the county’s Cumulative Capital Development Fund tax rate for the 2012 budget year. The county sought the additional funds for a rainy day fund and to cover unexpected emergency costs.
Justices affirm LWOP sentence, admission of suicide note
A southern Indiana man challenging his robbery and murder convictions and sentence to spend the rest of his life in prison lost his appeal before the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday. The justices rejected the man’s claim that his sentence should be reduced to a term of years.
Bank wins partial victory in suit stemming from overdraft fees
A bank being sued by customers over how it orders transactions – allegedly to maximize profits from overdraft fees – is entitled to summary judgment on most of the state claims alleged by customers in a class-action lawsuit, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
Handgun properly admitted at juvenile’s hearing
A handgun discarded by a teen after seeing a marked police car – and later picked up by the officer who saw the teen throw the gun into a yard – was properly admitted at his delinquency hearing, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed.
Advisory opinion issued about ex parte petitions for temporary custody
The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications has issued an advisory opinion to judges in response to numerous ethical complaints about judges granting ex parte petitions for temporary custody in non-emergency cases or when there was no attempt to provide notice to the adverse party.
Justices rule in favor of Anthem in excess insurance disputes
Anthem Inc. is entitled to its costs of settling litigation in which the insurance giant was accused of improperly handling claims, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. The reinsurance companies argued that coverage was barred based on the excess insurance policies.
Monroe Circuit courts closed until April 26
Courts in Bloomington will be closed the rest of this week due to a plumbing backup that Monroe Circuit Court Presiding Judge Valeri Haughton said has created a health emergency.
Graham takes ceremonial oath on federal bankruptcy court
Jeffrey J. Graham was formally sworn in Wednesday as the newest – and youngest – judge on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
Court reverses convictions from robbery due to double jeopardy concerns
Three of a man’s eight convictions stemming from his robbery of acquaintances were reversed or reduced because the convictions or elevated classes were based on the same elements of the crime, the Indiana Court of Appeals held Wednesday.
Attorney did not breach any duty owed to Conour clients
An Indianapolis attorney who spent several years working in a firm with attorney William Conour satisfied his legal duty to clients of Conour based on his lack of knowledge of any specific wrongdoing by Conour related to the clients, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled. Conour is currently in federal prison for stealing from client settlement funds.
Hospital’s 41(E) motion not timely filed, rules COA
The Indiana Court of Appeals decided in a case of first impression that a hospital, which filed its Ind. Trial Rule 41(E) motion to dismiss on the same day the plaintiff resumed prosecution of the case, did not timely file its motion.
High court makes it easier to sue government for negligence
The Supreme Court of the United States on Wednesday made it easier for people to sue the federal government for negligence, in a decision that could affect military veterans with claims of medical malpractice.
COA: Man can petition for sentence modification under new statute
The Indiana Court of Appeals decided Wednesday that a man sentenced in 2006 could petition for a sentence modification under a new 2014 statute that no longer required prosecutorial consent. But the judges decided that his petition for sentence modification should be denied.
Teen must pay restitution despite terminated probation
In a case of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals held that an Indianapolis teen is still required to pay restitution to the person he was involved in an auto accident with, even though the juvenile court discharged him from probation.
Criminal code revision gives no sentence relief for prior $30 theft
A LaGrange County man sentenced to two years executed for convictions of Class D felony counts of theft and attempted theft got no relief from his argument that the criminal code revisions enacted after his conviction would have been more lenient.