U.S. Supreme Court rules for GOP lawmakers in voter ID case
The U.S. Supreme Court gave Republican legislative leaders in North Carolina a win Thursday in an ongoing fight over the state’s latest photo identification voting law.
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U.S. Supreme Court limits reach of federal gun crime law
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday limited the reach of a federal statute that requires stiff penalties for crimes involving a gun.
Justices remand appeal of moot commitment order, clarify precedent on public-interest exception in commitment cases
Despite her involuntary commitment order having long since expired, a woman will be permitted to challenge the order at the Court of Appeals of Indiana after the Indiana Supreme Court issued a decision clarifying its precedent on how appellate courts should review involuntary commitment cases that have become moot. A dissenting justice, however, repeated previous concerns about the majority’s approach to the public-interest mootness exception.
Justices rule against detained immigrants seeking release
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against immigrants who are seeking their release from long periods of detention while they fight deportation orders.
Justices deny rehearing in Duke Energy coal-ash cleanup case; Goff dissents
Duke Energy will not get a second chance to convince the Indiana Supreme Court that it erred in ruling the utility cannot recoup its past costs for coal-ash cleanup efforts.
COA splits over custody modification, rules against mom who proceeded pro se after attorney quit
A split Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed a child custody switch from mother to father, finding that although the mother had to proceed pro so at the custody hearing, she was not prejudiced by the denial of her motions to continue after her counsel quit.
Indiana Supreme Court grants transfer to wage dispute case, 2 other cases
A dispute between a dentist and her former employer, which split the Court of Appeals over the award of damages, is now headed for the Indiana Supreme Court.
Split COA affirms denial of minor’s gender-marker change, calls on Supreme Court for help
Making an about-face, a sharply divided panel of the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed the denial of a mother’s second request to change her transgender child’s birth certificate gender marker. But noting its own conflicting precedent, the COA called on the Indiana Supreme Court to help resolve the issue.
Justices limit discrimination claims for emotional distress
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit filed by a deaf, legally blind woman against a physical therapy business that wouldn’t provide an American Sign Language interpreter for her appointments.
High court rules for state in case of man shackled at trial
The Supreme Court said Thursday that a federal appeals court was wrong when it ordered Michigan to retry or release a convicted murderer because his rights were violated when he was shackled at trial.
Court upholds Puerto Ricans’ exclusion from benefits program
The Supreme Court has upheld the differential treatment of residents of Puerto Rico, ruling that Congress was within its power to exclude them from a benefits program that’s available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
High court opens door wider to malicious prosecution claims
In a victory for people falsely accused by police of crimes, the U.S. Supreme Court removed a barrier Monday to lawsuits against law enforcement for malicious prosecution.
Split COA affirms dismissal of adult charge against man for alleged acts as teen
Determining the heart of the issue was “a lack of clarity in the Indiana Code,” a split Court of Appeals of Indiana panel ruled an adult criminal court rightly dismissed, for lack of jurisdiction, a child molesting charge against a man who allegedly forced a preteen to have sex with him when he was 16.
IN justices: Forfeited funds can’t be released for defense, but summary judgment for state was inappropriate
A trial court cannot release money seized from a defendant back to the defendant for the purpose of funding his or her defense, the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled. However, the forfeiture action in question will continue after the high court reversed summary judgment for the state.
Ex-band director’s texts to student splits COA on ‘harmful to minors’ debate
The Court of Appeals of Indiana has split on an internet-related issue in a case involving harmful content for minors after an ex-band director was handed a felony charge for text messages he sent to a former student.
Majority justices rule Duke can’t retroactively recover coal-ash cleanup costs
Indiana Supreme Court justices were divided on an issue of first impression brought by Duke Energy and the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, ultimately ruling that the utility cannot recover past coal-ash cleanup costs adjudicated under a prior rate order by treating the costs as a capitalized asset.
Court rejects GOP redistricting plans in NC, Pennsylvania
In a victory for Democrats, the Supreme Court has turned away efforts from Republicans in North Carolina and Pennsylvania to block state court-ordered congressional districting plans.
Pro se attorney gets public reprimand from justices for direct email to opposing party
Describing an Indianapolis lawyer as “his own worst enemy” when it comes to electronic communications, a split Indiana Supreme Court has issued a public reprimand after the lawyer sent a threatening email directly to an opposing party rather than working through another lawyer. A dissenting justice, however, said the rule in question in this issue of first impression does not apply to pro se lawyers like the attorney who was disciplined.
High court sides with government in Gitmo state secrets case
The Supreme Court sided with the government Thursday and dismissed a case involving a Guantanamo Bay detainee captured after the Sept. 11 attacks and tortured by the CIA abroad who has sought information about his treatment.
IN justices grant transfer to 1 case, split on 3 others
The Indiana Supreme Court has turned down a request by an Allen County man to determine whether he actually waived his right to appeal when he entered into a plea agreement, but two members of the court voted to hear the case.