Bankruptcy judges relocating
Beginning in October, three of the bankruptcy judges in the Southern District of Indiana will be relocating their courtrooms because of construction at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse.
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Circuit Court rules in favor of utility
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed summary judgment in favor of a Louisville utility in a dispute as to whether landowners could eject the utility from their property after violating portions of the lease. The appellate judges also declined to certify a question to the Indiana Supreme Court.
Federal judge finds U.S. law preempts state ‘robo-call’ statute
The state is not able to prevent out-of-state entities from placing political calls to residents within Indiana because of an existing federal law, according to a federal judge’s ruling on Indiana’s auto-dialer statute.
BLE will strike broad question, revise other
The Indiana Supreme Court’s Board of Law Examiners is cutting one controversial question from its annual bar exam application and will revise another in order to comply with a federal judge’s recent ruling.
Federal judge: 1 bar exam application question goes too far
A federal judge has found that one of the Indiana bar exam application questions violates the Americans with Disabilities Act because it infringes on potential lawyers’ privacy rights.
Judge allows state to cut Medicaid fees to pharmacists
An Indianapolis federal judge has reversed the temporary restraining order she issued two months ago that stopped the state from cutting fees it pays to pharmacists for dispensing Medicaid prescriptions.
Federal court fees, PACER charge going up
The policy-making body of the federal judiciary wants U.S. judges to limit how often they seal entire civil cases. In addition, the public access fee for all records is rising and other court fees are going up.
New magistrate takes the oath
U.S. Magistrate Denise K. LaRue was sworn in Sept. 8 as the Southern District of Indiana’s newest magistrate.
Judge dismisses challenge to NCAA bylaws
Two former NCAA athletes whose scholarships were revoked following injuries have lost their suit that argued without certain NCAA Division I bylaws, they would have received multi-year athletic scholarships that would have covered the cost of their bachelor’s degrees.
Magistrate judge’s investiture ceremony Thursday
The formal swearing-in ceremony for Magistrate Judge Denise K. LaRue of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, is at 2 p.m. Sept. 8 in Courtroom 202 of the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Indianapolis. The event is open to the public.
Retired U.S. magistrate judge dies
A Marion County attorney who later served as judge of the Circuit Court and as a United States Magistrate Judge died Sept. 1.
Circuit Court upholds settlement; $43 million in attorney fees
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a $180 million settlement and grant of $43.5 million in attorney fees in a dispute between retirement plan participants and their former employer. Some class members objected to the amount of attorney fees, but the 7th Circuit saw no reason to disturb the lower court’s decision.
Toxic dust exposure leads to litigation
Indianapolis attorney Gabe Hawkins has already attended the funerals of three former clients, and he hopes that he won’t have to see a fourth before finally being able to say that the courtroom battle they’ve been waging for years has paid off.
7th Circuit affirms judgment for officers in diabetic man’s case
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment in favor of the City of East Chicago and police officers on an estate’s excessive force and other claims, finding the officers had reasonable suspicion that a diabetic man who was having a hypoglycemic episode was possibly intoxicated.
Judge OKs settlement in voter-registration class action suit
A federal judge in Indianapolis on Thursday approved a settlement in a class action lawsuit brought against Indiana relating to state offices not adequately providing public assistance for voter registration.
Judge hears arguments on bar exam application suit
How far the Indiana Board of Law Examiners can go in asking potential lawyers about their mental-health history was the subject of a federal court hearing Wednesday, where attorneys explored the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act and what might be reasonable in determining someone’s potential fitness to practice law.
Clerk of Court for Northern District retiring
The longtime clerk for the Northern District of Indiana is retiring at the end of the year, and those interested in filling that vacancy have nearly a month to apply for the federal court position.
Federal appeals court examines disputed telephone charges
Writing for a unanimous 7th Circuit Court of Appeals panel, U.S. Judge David Hamilton authored an opinion Tuesday full of what he calls “telephonese.” The opinion delves into a small business’s disputed phone bill charges and how those matters are governed by state and common law.
Appeals court: Federal judge should decide on state law claims
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has sent a case back to an Indianapolis judge, saying she didn’t properly weigh whether the case should be prolonged on remand to Hamilton Superior Court instead of her deciding on the issues that have already been fleshed out in federal court during the past year and a half.