Guarding against undue influence
Changes in a person’s will and estate plan that vary from equal distribution of assets among heirs, as favored by law, should raise red flags, elder law attorneys say.
Courts
Articles
Debate over historic Brown County courthouse continues
At one of the state’s most-visited tourist crossroads stands a courthouse at a crossroads of its own.
Judge gives final OK of recycling settlement
A federal judge has given his final approval to a class-action settlement calling for the operators of a northern Indiana wood-recycling plant to clean up and shutter the site within five years.
Blogger Brewington seeks rehearing, wants Rush to recuse
A blogger whose intimidation convictions arising from a child-custody dispute were affirmed by the Indiana Supreme Court is seeking a rehearing in an effort to vacate his convictions.
County jail officials in Southern Indiana accused of abusing inmates
A class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of former inmates accuses officials at the Floyd County jail of forcibly stripping the inmates of their clothing and keeping them naked in a padded cell for prolonged periods of time in violation of their constitutional rights.
Justices take forfeiture, adoption appeals
The Indiana Supreme Court added to its docket a Marion County drug forfeiture case and a Lake County adoption matter.
National juvenile justice program growing in Indiana
Four more counties are being added to Indiana’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative in June, the first step to a significant expansion of the program within Indiana.
Deposition challenges timing of BMV overcharges
A former deputy director at the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles says he told agency leaders as early as 2010 that many BMV fees exceeded what was authorized under Indiana law but that the agency kept overcharging Hoosiers for at least two years to avoid budget troubles.
Mother’s argument crushed by precedent
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld precedent in finding a mother who made sporadic child support payments over several years did fail to provide assistance for one entire year as outlined in state statute.
Judge asks public defender about Conour money
A federal judge has ordered the Office of the Federal Defender for the Southern District of Indiana to disclose whether it is holding any property belonging to William Conour, the former attorney who was represented by a public court-appointed lawyer from the agency.
Insurance credit in criminal restitution case affirmed
A woman who pleaded guilty to drunken driving and was ordered to pay restitution to a victim hurt as a result of a crash was entitled to use insurance proceeds to pay the court-ordered damages, the Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
Odyssey to shut down as Marion County transitions to system
The state-supported Odyssey case management system and its public online portal mycase.in.gov will go offline Friday evening as Marion County transfers its criminal cases into the system.
Court upholds man’s conviction for confining wife’s sister
Although a prosecutor made an inappropriate comment during a man’s trial for criminal confinement, that comment had little persuasive effect on the jury, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday. The judges affirmed Jonathan Stephens’ conviction of Class C felony criminal confinement.
Court affirms repeat burglar’s sentence
A man who broke into the same property repeatedly and another property at a different time could not persuade an appellate panel that his 24-year sentence was inappropriate because the crimes were from a single episode.
Father entitled to counsel at contempt hearing
A Marion County man has made a prima facie showing that the trial court erred by denying his request for counsel at a hearing on contempt. Brian Moore’s ex-wife wanted him found in contempt for not paying the full amount of child support.
Justices affirm life without parole for murderer
The Indiana Supreme Court affirmed in all respects the life without parole sentence imposed on a man sentenced for murder.
Professor shares music’s power at detention center
Musician Nayo Ulloa has been teaching kids to play instruments for years, but his newest class at the Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center is unlike any other he has ever encountered.
COA affirms order mother attend psychotherapy
Ruling on a matter of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld a trial court’s decision to impose psychotherapy in a marital dissolution and custody order.
COA reverses conviction based on charging information
Because the charging information did not give a defendant fair notice of the crime of which he was convicted, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed his Class B felony attempted aggravated battery conviction.
Officer’s testimony about victim’s statement admissible, COA rules
A trial court did not abuse its discretion when it allowed an Indianapolis police officer to testify as to a victim’s out-of-court statements made to the officer shortly after an incident where she was beaten up.