Year in Review: In 2019, troubles dominated legal news
When those in the legal community look back at 2019, they may turn their heads and look forward instead. While the year had bright spots, several sordid sagas dominated the headlines.
Discipline
Articles
Suspended Fort Wayne bankruptcy lawyer who served theft sentence resigns
A former Fort Wayne bankruptcy lawyer who served a completed a federal prison sentence for embezzling from a client has resigned from the Indiana bar. Randall Stiles, 46, was released from the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute on Oct. 31 after serving a six-month sentence imposed in March for his guilty plea to two counts of bankruptcy fraud and a misdemeanor tax charge.
Filings show starkly different views of AG Hill’s alleged misconduct
As the parties await a hearing officer’s report in the lawyer discipline case against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, their competing filings urge the hearing officer to take very different views of the underlying sexual misconduct allegations in making her recommendation to the Indiana Supreme Court.
Disciplinary commission urges 2-year suspension for AG Hill
Competing filings in the disciplinary case against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill call for the Republican AG to face a sanction as severe as a two-year suspension or as little as nothing at all.
Westercamp releases growing list of GOP AG endorsements
With the 2020 party conventions less than a year away, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill’s challenger to become the Republican AG candidate says he has a growing list of supporters within the Indiana GOP.
Supreme Court lifts another suspension against Fort Wayne attorney
A Fort Wayne attorney facing multiple disciplinary actions has had his suspension in one of those actions terminated, though he remains ineligible to practice law in Indiana.
Newspaper report questions spending by AG’s office under Hill
A newspaper investigation has exposed questionable spending of taxpayer money by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office under embattled Republican officeholder Curtis Hill.
Disciplinary Actions
Find out which Indiana lawyers recently have been suspended or who have resigned.
Indy attorney reprimanded for inadequate client communication
An Indianapolis attorney has been publicly reprimanded by the Supreme Court for failing to adequately respond to and advise a client.
Justices accept Richmond public defender’s resignation
A Richmond attorney is no longer practicing law in the Hoosier state now that the Indiana Supreme Court has accepted his resignation.
Indianapolis attorney’s discipline converted to indefinite suspension
Indiana Supreme Court justices indefinitely suspended an Indianapolis attorney who was twice suspended earlier this year for his noncooperation with the disciplinary commission’s investigations of grievances against him.
Disciplinary Actions
Find out which Indiana lawyers recently have been placed on probation, suspended and cleared in disciplinary cases.
7th Circuit says lawyer intentionally altered photos, threatens sanction
An order to show cause has been entered against a Crawfordsville attorney whom the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals says intentionally altered photographs entered into the record in a slip-and-fall case. The appellate court also raised the possibility of sending the matter to the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission.
Ice Miller strategy manager appointed to JNC
Ice Miller agribusiness strategy manager Katie Glick, Columbus, has been appointed as the newest member of the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission.
New Albany lawyer agrees to probation, will pay $15K for shoddy accounting
A southern Indiana lawyer who for a decade mismanaged his firm’s trust accounts has agreed to a probationary period of at least three years, staying a nearly six-month suspension, under terms of an attorney discipline agreement approved Wednesday by the Indiana Supreme Court. The attorney also agreed to pay more than $15,000 in costs to the disciplinary commission and court.
Jacobs apologizes for Indianapolis shooting, says he ‘nearly lost’ everything
As he prepares to begin a 30-day, unpaid suspension, Clark Circuit Judge Bradley Jacobs is publicly apologizing for the first time for a night of drinking that led to him being critically wounded in a downtown Indianapolis shooting.
US Supreme Court denies former Kentucky judge’s petition
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request by a former Kentucky judge to delay an ethics case against her. The judge faced potential removal for attempting to help her ex-husband after his 2017 arrest on drug possession charges. She has been charged with forgery and records tampering.
Judges involved in Indianapolis shooting suspended without pay
The three judges involved in a night of drinking that ended in gunfire in downtown Indianapolis have each been suspended without pay from their southern Indiana benches. The Indiana Supreme Court order issued Tuesday marks the conclusion of the judicial discipline cases against the judges.
Supreme Court clears former prosecutor of disciplinary charges
A former Howard County prosecutor has been cleared of allegations brought by the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission that he paid a witness for his testimony in a 2010 murder trial.
Lawyer facing fraud, theft charges suspended for noncooperation
A law firm name attorney in a northern Indiana county seat community who is facing multiple felony fraud and theft charges has been suspended from the practice of law after he failed to sufficiently respond to four ethics investigations by the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission.