Indiana State Bar Association - The Indiana Lawyer

Lake County Bar: Judicial-selection bill an ‘abomination,’ ‘political power play’

February 18, 2021 | IL Staff

The Lake County Bar Association on Thursday issued the most damning rebuke to date of a bill in the Indiana General Assembly that would alter how judges in that county and St. Joseph County are selected. The northwest Indiana county’s bar called the bill “an abomination” and “a political power play by parties not even within Lake County to take even more power away from the people of Lake County in selecting their judges.”

ISBA opposes bill to change judicial selection in Lake, St. Joseph counties

February 17, 2021 | Olivia Covington

For the second time this year, the Indiana State Bar Association is publicly opposing legislation targeting judicial selection in Indiana, this time speaking against a bill that it says would “unnecessarily change a working system” for judicial selection in Lake and St. Joseph counties.

St. Joseph judge who retired back on bench amid appointment stalemate

February 17, 2021 | Dave Stafford

The Indiana Supreme Court on Monday issued an order appointing Miller, now a senior judge, back to the court she attempted to retire from last year. The order authorizes Miller to serve as a St. Joseph Superior Court judge until May 1 as a fight over her potential successor plays out in another court.

Betz: Lawmakers propose ‘radical’ bid to reshape judicial selection

February 17, 2021 | Kevin Betz

By initiating a constitutional amendment based on misinformation, three Indiana Republican state senators, now joined by multiple others, have proposed a radical resolution to eliminate citizen involvement in the retention vote of appellate judges, changing the current selection process that has been in place for 50 years. This proposal also severely decreases judicial independence and increases the political pressure on our state’s appellate judiciary. Indeed, if successful, the proposal would give the legislative branch far greater control over the Indiana state appellate judges and justices. It would also further embed in Indiana’s Constitution more systemic racism.

IndyBar: Contractions in Formal Legal Writing: Is it Casual Friday Yet?

February 17, 2021 | From IndyBar

Thee debate in legal writing circles rages: Are contractions acceptable?

Bill removing lawyers from Lake, St. Joseph judicial panels draws more fire

February 4, 2021 | Olivia Covington

Efforts to amend a bill that would fundamentally change the composition of the judicial nominating commissions in Lake and St. Joseph counties failed in the Indiana House on Tuesday, setting up the controversial legislation for a possible final House vote next week.

Conversations on race draw on power of candid talks

February 3, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl

To capitalize on the talks that started during 2020, attorney Angka Hinshaw is joining Indiana Justice Steven David to lead a yearlong discussion about racial issues and cultural differences. The goal of the program, Open Conversations, is to foster honest, perhaps uncomfortable, dialogue where the participants can gain new insight and understanding.

Bill to alter Lake, St. Joseph judicial selection rankles local bench, bar

February 2, 2021 | Olivia Covington

Legal professionals in Lake and St. Joseph counties are raising serious concerns about advancing legislation that would change the structure of the local judicial nominating commissions that shape the state trial court judiciary in the northern Indiana counties.

ISBA fights legislation to end retention votes, ‘politicize’ appellate bench

January 28, 2021 | Dave Stafford

A measure that would strip Hoosier voters of the power to retain appellate judges and Supreme Court justices — transferring that authority to the Legislature — has drawn fire from the Indiana State Bar Association, which warned the proposal would politicize the appellate bench and threaten the independence of the judiciary.

A Hamilton County community champion: Legendary Lawyer Douglas Church

October 28, 2020 | Marilyn Odendahl

In a career that has spanned 50 years, Douglas Church not only developed his own private practice but also played an integral role in the blossoming of Hamilton County. He served as attorney for the town of Fishers from 1980 through 2015 and for the city of Noblesville from 1988 through 1996, helping those communities formulate and implement strategies for growth.

ISBA members vote ‘yes’ to appellate judges’ retention

October 7, 2020 | IL Staff

Each of the seven Indiana appellate judges up for retention this year have received favorable recommendations from members of the Indiana State Bar Association. The state bar released results of its retention survey Wednesday morning.

Law change from ‘or’ to ‘and’ causes headaches for recorders

September 16, 2020 | Marilyn Odendahl

While politicians often decry bureaucracy and red tape, a bill passed by Indiana legislators in 2020 changed a single word in a state statute and, as a result, raised an extra hurdle for Hoosiers trying to get a document recorded at their local county recorder’s office.

Seeking unity: New ISBA President Michael Tolbert finds guidance for challenging times in service, family, faith

September 16, 2020

Michael Tolbert’s turn to lead the Indiana State Bar Association could not have come at a more challenging time. Having led multiple local bar groups, the Gary native takes the helm at the ISBA during a time of pandemic and persistent racial inequities that at times have put the law and lawyers on the defensive. Tolbert, though, is relentlessly optimistic.

ISBA offering in-person, virtual hybrid for annual meeting

September 16, 2020 | Olivia Covington

The Indiana State Bar Assocation annual meeting will be a hybrid model allowing bar members to meet either virtually or in-person. Speakers will still offer CLE, sponsors will still share products and the House of Delegates will still meet. Perhaps most importantly, Hoosier lawyers will get the chance to reconnect after months of social distancing.

CLE credit available to attorneys who work polls on Election Day

September 10, 2020 | Marilyn Odendahl

The Indiana Supreme Court is joining the effort to recruit poll workers for the November general election by offering incentives to encourage lawyers to spend the day helping Hoosiers cast their ballots.

IndyBar President’s Column: Remembering IndyBar, ISBA, MCBA and ABA Leader Jim Dimos

August 19, 2020 | Andrew L. Campbell

When we learned that Jim passed away earlier this month, the outpouring of support and remembrances from past IndyBar and Indianapolis Bar Foundation presidents was immense. Nearly every IndyBar leader with whom I’ve interacted in my 15-year career shared a memory of how Jim touched the profession, and often their individual practices, in a tangibly positive way.

Changing needs: Pandemic shifting client priorities now, in the future

August 19, 2020 | Olivia Covington

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal profession has been a mixed bag. In some ways, the law, like many other industries, has suffered. Corporate clients are pulling purse strings tighter, while practice areas such as personal injury have seen a slowdown in cases. But in other ways, the pandemic has been a boon for lawyers.

Website highlights 7 appellate judges on November retention ballot

August 17, 2020 | IL Staff

Hoosier voters in November will decided whether seven Indiana appellate judges should retain their positions for the next 10 years. A Supreme Court justice, the chief judge of the Indiana Court of Appeals and five other appellate jurists are on the fall retention ballot.

Hispanic Heritage Month speaker to address citizenship during annual celebration

August 13, 2020 | IL Staff

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Indiana State Bar Association Latino Affairs Committee will host a presentation focusing on historical and contemporary approaches to the dilemmas of citizenship during its fourth annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.

James Dimos remembered as a friend and champion of lawyers

August 6, 2020 | Marilyn Odendahl

Indiana attorney Jim Dimos, who left private practice to help lead the American Bar Association after leading both his local and state bars, is being remembered as someone who was “quietly effective” and a friend to the legal profession. He died Wednesday of a heart attack at age 59.

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