Knowing the possible consequences
Legal community works to ensure defendants know plea agreements could impact immigration status.
Courts
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Unifying Indiana courts
Unification of courts is leading to greater efficiency and cooperation.
Targeting stolen money
AG says lawsuits against public officials show need for better oversight.
7th Circuit decides MDL appeal question
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeal wants each federal judge handling multi-district litigation to have the flexibility to choose between sending parts of unresolved cases back to the original courts or keep those in one jurisdiction, once a final district-level decision has been made and the time for appeal arrives.
COA affirms trial courts in truant kindergartner cases
The Indiana Court of Appeals has sided with the trial courts in two cases that have been consolidated in one appeal in determining that referral and attendance records for truant students were admissible at trial under the state’s business records exception.
Hammond City judge gets 60-day unpaid suspension
The Indiana Supreme Court has ordered that Hammond City Court Judge Jeffrey A. Harkin be suspended for 60 days without pay.
Court won’t remove trial judge in Simon case
The Indiana Court of Appeals has dismissed an appeal filed by Melvin Simon’s widow, finding that it doesn’t have jurisdiction to remove a Hamilton Superior judge from the case involving the late mall-magnate’s estate valued at more than $2 billion.
Justices rule on applicable statute of limitations
The Indiana Supreme Court decided Thursday that the period within the general statute of limitations controls the limitation period when a medical provider may seek payment of outstanding bills for authorized treatment to an employer’s worker. The justices came to that conclusion after finding the Worker’s Compensation Act is silent on what the applicable limitation period is for this matter.
COA finds Army discipline does not exempt defendant from prosecution
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed a trial court denial of a man’s motion to dismiss, rejecting his argument that being reprimanded by the United States Army precludes him from prosecution for the same offense.
Justices: court could impose only 1 juvenile commitment
The Indiana Supreme Court has issued an opinion affirming that a juvenile may not be sentenced to both a determinate and indeterminate commitment.
Terre Haute Odyssey demonstration
The Terre Haute City Court and clerk will demonstrate for the public the new Odyssey case management system at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 21 in Terre Haute City Court, City Hall, 17 Harding Ave. Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan, Jr. will join local court officials to answer questions about the system and show the public how it works.
Justice’s wife honored for support of judiciary
Jan Aikman Dickson, the wife of Indiana Justice Brent E. Dickson, will be inducted into the Warren E. Burger Society Friday. Membership in this society honors those who have shown a commitment to improving the administration of justice through service or support to the National Center for State Courts.
Court rules arbitration provision null and void
Tackling an issue of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals concluded that an arbitration provision in a loan agreement from a payday loan provider is null and void on the grounds of impossibility because the arbitrator named in the document is no longer available.
Justices suspend Logansport lawyer for 1 year
The Indiana Supreme Court suspended a Logansport attorney for one year because he routinely allowed his secretary to prepare and sign his name on bankruptcy petitions and other court documents, including one petition that she mistakenly filed in the wrong District.
Man entitled to new probation revocation hearing
The Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered a new probation revocation hearing for a Wells County man after finding the reasons by the special judge as to why the man should serve his entire previously suspended sentence were “problematic.”
COA orders special prosecutor in Camm trial
The county prosecutor who signed and later cancelled a book deal about his involvement in the murder trial of David Camm will not be allowed to serve as prosecutor at Camm’s third trial.
Supreme Court to hear Affordable Care Act challenges
In what’s expected to be a historic constitutional test over how much power the federal government has to require individual mandates for states, the Supreme Court of the United States will consider the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010.
Judges uphold juvenile’s adjudication
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the acceptance of a minor’s plea agreement that was not signed by either of his parents because the signature of the minor and his attorney on the plea agreement satisfied statutory requirements.
SCOTUS takes Indianapolis sewer payment case
The Supreme Court of the United States has granted certiorari in a case that questions whether the city of Indianapolis violated the federal Constitution in how it handled refunds for residents who paid assessments on local sewer projects.