Ex-Brownsburg attorney gets 30-month sentence for tax evasion
A former Brownsburg attorney who pleaded guilty to tax evasion earlier this year will spend 2½ years in prison and owes more than $2.4 million to the Internal Revenue Service.
District Courts
Articles
Terre Haute parks volunteer awarded damages after ‘horrific’ sexual assault
A former Terre Haute parks employee who was convicted of a “horrific” sexual assault on a parks volunteer must pay his victim more than $1.5 million in damages plus attorney fees, a federal judge has ruled.
General Assembly: Indiana isn’t ‘employer’ in groping suit against Hill
The Indiana House and Senate are doubling down on their argument that Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill cannot adequately represent their interests against discrimination and retaliation allegations brought by three legislative staffers against Hill and the state. In new court filings, the two legislative bodies say they are the entities that are legally considered the women’s employers, so they alone have the right to defend their sexual harassment prevention and response policies against the harassment allegations.
Family of Carmel teen sues Juul, calling e-cigarettes addictive, dangerous
A Carmel family is suing Juul Labs Inc., saying the company’s e-cigarettes contain excessively high amounts of nicotine and do not include warnings that the products can become addictive.
Woman freed after murder conviction vacated in 2001 slaying
An Indiana woman who successfully argued she had ineffective legal counsel at her murder trial for the 2001 slaying of her boyfriend in Lafayette during a sex game has been released.
7th Circuit blocks Indiana voter purge law
A federal appeals court has confirmed that Indiana’s attempt to cleanse its voter rolls by using the controversial Crosscheck database violates the National Voter Registration Act. The ruling upholds a lower court ruling in a suit brought by a national public-interest group.
Dealer’s conviction for machine gun, laser sight sales upheld
A Pennsylvania gun dealer who was convicted of multiple federal counts after he conspired with Lake County law enforcement officers to procure machine guns and laser sights lost his appeal Friday.
Attorney ordered to pay nonprofit $76K in fees after losing copyright case
An Indiana-based nonprofit that works to reduce instances of sexual assault has been awarded more than $76,000 in fees and costs as the prevailing party in a copyright case brought by a Hoosier attorney known for copyright litigation.
Psych exam ordered for man accused of firing gun at VA hospital
A federal judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for an Indianapolis man accused of opening fire at a Chicago veterans hospital earlier this month.
Web Exclusive: ILS files labor-trafficking suit for migrant workers
A recently filed complaint on behalf of several foreign nationals who have traveled to the United States for work has Indiana Legal Services Migrant Farmworker Law Center attorney Kristin Hoffman excited.
Manpower, technology changes impact low wiretap use
According to data released by the United States Courts, wiretapping in federal and state courts was down by a combined 23 percent in 2018 compared to 2017. Likewise in Indiana, federal and state courts authorized 75 wiretaps in 2017, but only 46 in 2018, according to the data. Experts say staffing and law enforcement resources, as well as the cyclical ebb and flow of complex surveillance work account for the decline.
Plaintiffs challenge Mich. redistricting panel’s independence
The release of emails in the gerrymandering lawsuit brought by the League of Women Voters spurred Michigan residents to strip their legislators of redistricting duties and turn the mapmaking over to an independent commission. However, a new federal lawsuit is challenging the new body, asserting the exclusion of certain individuals violates the First and 14th amendments.
Long partisan gerrymandering fight ends, but struggle continues
For a team of Indiana lawyers who successfully litigated a case contesting partisan gerrymandering in Michigan, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision was a disappointment that likely will vacate the judgment in their favor. Legal observers say the issue now will be fought in statehouses across the country.
Ex-East Chicago health offical’s suit over firing proceeds in part
A former East Chicago city employee who has alleged her constitutional rights were violated when she was fired from the city Health Department in 2015 has secured a partial victory from the Northern Indiana District Court, which also ruled partially in favor of city officials.
Rental repairs licensing requirement poses no burden to interstate commerce, 7th Circuit affirms
An Illinois man who owns rental property in Hammond failed to convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that a city licensing ordinance requiring he obtain a license to make repairs to his properties was discriminatory.
Federal jury convicts alleged drug ringleader, 4 others
The alleged leader of a violent Indianapolis-based drug trafficking ring has been convicted on federal drug charges. A federal jury in Evansville convicted Richard Grundy III and four co-defendants on all charges Thursday during the 14th day of their trial.
Leader of BAE tuition reimbursement scam sentenced
A Fort Wayne man has been sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay $566,000 in restitution for a tuition reimbursement scam involving dozens of former employees of a British defense contractor.
Epstein death shifts federal focus to possible conspirators
In the wake of Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide, federal prosecutors in New York have shifted their focus to possible charges against anyone who assisted or enabled him in what authorities say was his rampant sexual abuse.
House Judiciary sues to force McGahn to testify
The House Judiciary Committee took another step toward possible impeachment proceedings, filing a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday aimed at forcing former White House counsel Donald McGahn to testify about his interactions with President Donald Trump.
Virginia transgender bathroom case: Judge favors ex-student
A federal judge in Virginia ruled Friday that a school board’s transgender bathroom ban discriminated against a former student, Gavin Grimm, the latest in a string of decisions nationwide that favor transgender students who faced similar policies.