Southern Indiana District Court nominee scheduled for hearing
James R. Sweeney II, the nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, is scheduled to appear before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary tomorrow.
Government
Articles
Indiana eighth to offer state employees parental leave
Gov. Eric Holcomb last month signed an executive order establishing paid parental leave for state employees, effective Jan. 1. Labor and employment attorneys say many private organizations, including law firms, also are offering paid leave to new parents.
Sentence modification bill inspired by COA ruling
A recent Indiana Court of Appeals decision that prosecutors say went against longstanding practices in the sentence modification process has sparked a conversation in the Indiana legislature about courts’ discretion to modify sentences stemming from fixed-sentence plea agreements.
Lawmaker proposes bill to count dead people’s votes
A Republican Indiana state senator wants the votes of dead people to count.
More Indiana communities sue drug companies over opioids
Several more Indiana communities have joined the growing list of governments suing pharmaceutical companies and distributors over their roles in the opioid abuse crisis.
At least 15-year sentence sought for ex-Lake County sheriff
Federal prosecutors are asking that the former sheriff of Indiana’s second most-populous county be sentenced to at least 15 years in prison for taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from towing businesses.
Problems persist as director quits DCS
The departure of Mary Beth Bonaventura as director of the Indiana Department of Child Services surprised several family law attorneys and social service providers. Uniformly, they agreed the former Lake County juvenile judge was a strong advocate for children and brought valuable experience to her tenure. Still, the department has struggled against internal and external challenges.
Senate committee withholds vote on anti-indemnification bill
An Indiana lawmaker is urging her colleagues to reconsider her proposed attorney anti-indemnification bill after the Senate Civil Law Committee refused to call a vote on the measure.
Portage mayor’s bribery trial delayed again
The public corruption trial of a northwestern Indiana mayor who faces tax evasion and bribery charges has been moved to June.
Senate GOP makes repeal of Sunday booze sales ban a priority
Repealing Indiana’s Sunday retail alcohol sales ban is a top priority for state Senate Republicans.
Senator re-introduces attorney anti-indemnification bill
An Indiana lawmaker is once again proposing a bill that would prohibit attorneys from indemnifying themselves against legal malpractice actions after a similar measure failed to pass last year’s General Assembly.
Democratic leader questions GOP ‘secrecy’ on child agency
Statehouse Democrats say they are troubled by Republican “secrecy” as Gov. Eric Holcomb and the GOP-majority scramble to contain fallout from a burgeoning crisis in Indiana’s child welfare agency.
Southern Indiana gets new prosecutor focused on violence
The U.S. Justice Department says the federal Southern District of Indiana will receive an additional assistant U.S. attorney to focus exclusively on violent crime.
Tax Court affirms proposed assessments for lack of evidence
A lack of sufficient evidence doomed a businessman’s appeal of the Indiana Department of State Revenue’s proposed assessments against two of his businesses, as the Indiana Tax Court ruled Thursday it could not substantiate the businesses’ various expense deductions based on the evidence presented.
Judge orders IBM to post $25M bond in Indiana welfare case
IBM Corp. must post a $25 million bond as it appeals a $78 million judgment in a long-running case that stems from the company’s failed effort to automate much of Indiana’s welfare services.
Indiana GOP lawmakers won’t act on child services crisis
The two most powerful Republicans in the Indiana Legislature said they do not plan to take major action to address a growing crisis in the Department of Child Services during this year’s session, which kicked off Wednesday.
No. 2 Indiana House Democrat won’t seek re-election
Another top-ranking Democrat in the Indiana Legislature has decided to not seek re-election after this year's session.
Indiana lawmakers return for possibly contentious session
Legislators returned to the Indiana Statehouse on Wednesday to begin this year’s General Assembly session, which will be the first in recent memory in which the Republican supermajorities do not have an overarching objective they hope to achieve.
Indiana lawmaker offers revamped baby boxes bill
An Indiana legislator is proposing legislation that would permit expanded use of baby boxes in which a mother could anonymously give up her newborn.
Judge denies arbitration request on firefighters contract
A judge has denied a request for arbitration amid contract talks by a union representing Kokomo firefighters.