Misdemeanant challenges voting lockout
When a former town council member in northern Indiana was sentenced to county jail for two months on a misdemeanor battery conviction, he didn’t realize that experience would take away his right to vote.
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Indianapolis lawyer is trustee on multi-state livestock bankruptcy case
Before taking on a livestock bankruptcy case stretching into multiple states and encompassing millions of dollars, Indianapolis attorney James Knauer hadn’t had much exposure to the cattle industry.
7th Circuit reverses on relation back issue
A plaintiff attempting to sue his employer for breach of contract should have been able to file an amended complaint with relation back to the date of the original complaint in order to correct the defendant even though the statute of limitations had expired, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded today.
Judges affirm insurer has no duty to defend
The Indiana Court of Appeals agreed with the trial court that a homeowner’s insurance policy is clear that the ingestion of methadone by a guest at his house and his subsequent injuries are excluded from the policy’s liability coverage.
Appeals court to hear arguments at Indy high school
The Indiana Court of Appeals will visit Pike High School in Indianapolis this week to hear arguments in a case in which a man appeals his drug dealing conviction.
High court taking applications for state public defender
The Indiana Supreme Court is now accepting applications for state public defender. The current state public defender, Susan Carpenter, is retiring in May.
7th Circuit takes girls’ basketball schedule case
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether several Indiana school corporations discriminate against girls’ basketball teams by scheduling more of their games on weeknights as compared to the boys’ basketball games.
Trial court should decide educational credit time
A trial court judge should be the one to determine whether a defendant who completes an educational degree before sentencing is entitled to educational credit time, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
Attorney general files ‘notario publico’ civil suits
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office filed a pair of civil consumer deception lawsuits Wednesday against two non-attorneys for offering immigration services that constitute the unauthorized practice of law.
Comment sought on reappointment of magistrate judge
Members of the bar and the public are invited to comment as to whether United States Magistrate Judge Michael G. Naville of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, New Albany Division, should be reappointed to a new four-year term.
Judges order new trial following juror issue
A case involving the issue of a prosecutor’s use of a peremptory strike against an African-American member of the jury pool has appeared before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals for the third time. This time, the judges vacated the two defendants’ murder and robbery convictions and ordered a new trial.
COA: Admission of prior convictions fundamental error
The Indiana Court of Appeals ordered a new trial for a sex offender convicted of failing to register while having a prior conviction. The court ruled the evidence regarding his prior convictions for failing to register shouldn’t have been admitted at trial.
Disciplinary Commission elects 3 new officers
The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission has elected three new officers, the high court announced today.
Trustee: Pastrick’s bankruptcy not an abuse
Reversing her decision from a month ago, a federal trustee has determined that former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick’s income is not too high to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and his filing should not be considered to be an abuse of the process.
COA reverses marijuana conviction based on intent
The majority of an Indiana Court of Appeals panel today reversed a conviction of marijuana possession after the defendant contended there was insufficient evidence that she constructively possessed the drug.
Judges uphold man’s remanded drug sentence
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a defendant’s argument that the District Court violated the cross-appeal rule when it based his new sentence on remand on evidence that wasn’t relied upon at his first sentencing hearing.
Johnson County Historical Society gets legal history grant
The Johnson County Historical Society has been awarded an Indiana Legal History Grant by the Indiana Humanities Council and the Indiana Supreme Court, the council announced today. The $2,000 award will fund projects and research to increase the understanding of the legal history of the county among those served by the county courts.
Judges visit Jeffersonville for arguments
The Indiana Court of Appeals travels to southern Indiana Wednesday to hear arguments in a case involving credit time.
Brizzi discipline case could set new prejudice standard
The Indiana Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Commission wants to set a new standard of “actual prejudice” for attorney misconduct. In making that argument, the validity of two high-profile murder convictions that Carl Brizzi secured during his time as prosecutor in the state’s largest county are being questioned.
7th Circuit denies petition to remove judge
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a man’s petition for writ of mandamus to remove a federal judge from a case he is involved with that’s still pending in District Court. The man failed to intervene in the case and his interest in the case is too uncertain to give him the rights of a party automatically, the judges ruled Friday.