Parents could face fine, jail under city’s anti-bullying law
Parents of children found bullying other minors could face jail time under a new law approved in a western New York community.
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Draft civil forfeiture reform bill gets committee endorsement, but with opposition
A preliminary draft of proposed legislation that would revamp Indiana’s civil forfeiture law has been endorsed by members of a summer study committee, but not without concerns raised by lawmakers.
Law firm plans federal suit on behalf of landowners along Hamilton County rail corridor
A Missouri-based law firm that specializes in rails-to-trails cases plans to file a federal lawsuit on behalf of property owners along the Nickel Plate Railroad corridor.
Justice Department ends transgender workplace protections
Federal civil rights law does not protect transgender people from discrimination at work, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a memo released Thursday that rescinds guidance issued under the Obama administration.
Justices hear challenge to lethal injection formulation; state says it’s shelved
Several Indiana Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical Thursday of a death row inmate’s challenge of the Department of Correction’s untried lethal injection drug cocktail formulation.
Judicial committee narrowly approves 7th Circuit nominee Barrett
The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary voted along party lines Thursday to approve Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Travel ban lawsuits filed by legal center, Muslim advocates
A coalition of Muslim and Iranian-American advocates and a nonpartisan legal institute filed the first lawsuits against the Trump administration's new travel restrictions for citizens of eight countries, including Iran, that were announced late last month.
Committee members to discuss need for new courts, judicial officers at final meeting
Indiana lawmakers will gather for the final meeting of the Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary this week, when they will address the need for new courts or judicial officers throughout the state.
Autopsy: Man who fled police fatally shot by trooper
Authorities say an autopsy determined that a man wanted by police after fleeing from a traffic stop in Columbus was fatally shot by a state trooper in southern Indiana.
Washington state, Seattle are latest to sue opioid makers
Washington state and the city of Seattle on Thursday joined more than two dozen other government entities across the country suing to hold opioid makers accountable for an addiction crisis that has claimed thousands of lives.
Senate confirms Minkler; committee advances Kirsch, delays vote on Barrett
The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary approved by voice vote five nominees for U.S. attorney, including the nominee for the Northern District of Indiana, Thursday. The full Senate on a voice vote also confirmed Josh Minkler as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
Big stakes in high court fight over partisan political maps
Democrats and Republicans are poised for a Supreme Court fight about political line-drawing with the potential to alter the balance of power across a country starkly divided between the two parties.
Trump, GOP tax plan would cut rates for many Americans
President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are proposing a far-reaching, $5 trillion plan Wednesday that would cut taxes for corporations and potentially for individuals, simplify the tax system and nearly double the standard deduction used by most Americans.
Lawmakers hear proposals for increased indigent defense funding
Public defenders from across the state came to the Indiana Statehouse Thursday to share their concerns about what they see as crisis in the state’s judiciary – the increasing difficulty their offices face to comply with caseload suggestions as more and more filings hit their desks.
Cross-border slaying: Can dead teen’s family sue US agent?
Whether and when constitutional rights afforded American citizens extend to non-citizens outside the nation's boundaries were at issue Wednesday when a federal appeals court heard arguments about the cross-border shooting death of a Mexican teenager by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Holder discusses guns, race relations, Trump administration at Anderson University
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder remembers well the worst day of his time in office. It was just a few days after the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and he had to make a trip to the classroom where nearly two dozen young children were gunned down.
Report: Sentencing overhaul hasn’t meant big Indiana savings
A report to Indiana lawmakers shows the state hasn't seen significant savings from an overhaul of criminal sentencing laws aimed at sending fewer people convicted of nonviolent crimes to prison.
Disaster plans protect attorneys, files, help get back to normal
Whether by a fire, power outage, computer virus or large-scale natural disaster such as a tornado, hurricane or blizzard, law offices are at risk of having their practices disrupted by the unexpected. Experts say it’s crucial law firms and legal organizations have a plan that prepares for the worst.
Environmentalists sue to block US border wall with Mexico
Three advocacy groups sued the federal government Thursday to block construction of a border wall with Mexico, alleging that that Trump administration overstepped its authority by waiving environmental reviews and other laws.
$70,000 settlement reached in Anderson housing lawsuit
A $70,000 settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit alleging discrimination and sexual harassment by employees of the Anderson Housing Authority.