Criminal law committee passes pilot programs, studies
Four proposals approved during the final meeting of the Criminal Law and Sentencing Policy Study Committee appear headed for consideration during the 2014 session of the Indiana General Assembly.
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Concerns exist over proposed sentencing bill
The balance struck between the opposing demands of the prosecutors and public defenders in the proposed criminal sentencing bill may be upended during the 2014 legislative session, which could force Indiana to squeeze hundreds of millions of dollars from the state budget to build a new prison.
AG finds no caselaw that answers same-sex amendment question
Nearly 13 minutes into a press conference touting the accomplishments of his office in 2013, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller got a question on a topic he may have been hoping to avoid – same-sex marriage.
Judge rejects Charlie White’s claim of ineffective counsel
Former Secretary of State Charlie White has been ordered to begin serving his sentence for violating Indiana’s election law after his petition for post-conviction relief was denied.
Humvee maker, defense giant BAE wrangle over $277M judgment
A dispute over the true cost of Humvee body armor rushed to the battlefield in the deadliest days of the Iraq war has resulted in a court battle that includes suggestions that one of the world’s top defense contractors may have serious business problems as it argues against posting full security for a $277 million judgment.
Judge rejects Notre Dame bid for injunction on contraception coverage
A federal judge denied the University of Notre Dame’s request for an injunction blocking the “contraception mandate” in the Affordable Care Act that requires employers to provide insurance coverage for birth control.
Obama appoints McKinney professor to environmental commission
Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law professor Eric Dannenmaier has been appointed to serve as a member of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation by President Barack Obama.
Newburgh ordinance allows it to block town from providing sewer service
The Indiana Court of Appeals Monday decided that the town of Newburgh was statutorily authorized to pass an ordinance prohibiting others from providing new sewer services to customers within four miles of its corporate boundaries.
Criminal law committee sends sentencing bill to Legislature
What was called the key to making Indiana’s new criminal code work has received a nod of approval and is now headed to the Legislature.
State appeals ruling against right-to-work law
Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced Wednesday the state has asked the Indiana Supreme Court to reverse a Lake County judge’s order invalidating the right-to-work law that bans compulsory union dues.
Cybersecurity expert: ruling on surveillance program ‘extraordinarily significant’
Indiana University Maurer School of Law professor Fred Cate heralded the decision handed down Dec. 16 by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon as possibly landing a crippling blow to the federal government’s surveillance program.
COA: County officials not bound to collective bargaining agreement
An issue of first impression arose in a lawsuit in which a local union argued that the Madison County assessor and recorder had to follow the terms of a collective bargaining agreement that the county had entered into with UAW.
State not allowed to intervene in Weinberger case
Finding the law does not allow the state to become a party to otherwise private litigation at any stage of the proceedings, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed its prior order granting the state’s motion to intervene in a settlement reached between former doctor Mark Weinberger and the estate of a patient.
Indianapolis attorney tapped to lead BMV
Ice Miller LLP attorney Donald M. Snemis has been named as the commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. He will begin his tenure Jan. 6.
George Rubin’s 54 years in law built firm and shaped modern Indianapolis
Indianapolis was America’s 26th biggest city when George Rubin began his legal career 54 years ago. It’s fair to say Rubin drafted the blueprint that transformed the city into the nation’s 12th largest.
Criminal code overhaul shifts focus to sentencing
The exploding prison population was a key motivator for revising the state’s criminal code, but an independent research group has concluded the new statute will cause a quicker increase in the number of inmates.
Support strong for treatment instead of incarceration in the DOC
David Powell, executive director of the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, strongly believes that addressing drug dependency and mental health issues can reduce the state’s recidivism rate and, in turn, lower the crime rate.
Indiana disability rights group files complaint against Amtrak
The Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services Commission has filed a disability discrimination complaint against Amtrak for non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
21st Amendment chain blocked from federal cold-beer suit
A magistrate judge has blocked a retail liquor store chain’s bid to join a federal lawsuit filed by convenience stores challenging an Indiana law that forbids them from selling cold beer.
Independent analysis finds DOC’s population will grow under new criminal code
A report released Dec. 10 predicts that Indiana’s new criminal code will increase the number of individuals incarcerated in state prisons to the point where a new facility may have to be built.