Daleville woman gets 30 years for death of son, 2, in hot car
A central Indiana woman whose 2-year-old son died after he climbed into a hot car and couldn’t get out has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to neglect.
Indiana Trial Courts
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First OWI problem-solving court starting in Allen County
Allen Circuit Court is preparing to launch Indiana’s first operating a vehicle while intoxicated problem-solving court, which will provide offenders charged with OWI the opportunity to receive treatment, change their behavior and clear their criminal record.
Task force issues recommendations for handling increase in eviction cases
In anticipation of state courts being overwhelmed with landlord-tenant cases once the pandemic moratorium on evictions is lifted, a task force assembled by the Indiana Supreme Court released recommendations Wednesday that encourage payment plans and alternatives to forcibly removing residents from their homes.
COA reverses in part for widow in family’s trust dispute
The Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed in part a verdict against a widow in a family dispute stemming from her diversion of $8 million of her late-husband’s trust assets that effectively disinherited his son.
Report: Indiana public defender caseload standards likely too high
Caseload standards imposed by the Indiana Public Defender Commission are likely higher than the caseloads public defenders should carry, meaning current practices do not give public defenders sufficient time to provide effective representation.
Applications open for Allen Superior Court vacancy
Applications are now open to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Allen Superior Court bench as Judge Thomas Felts prepares to retire.
Man charged with son’s murder will be returned to Indiana
An Indiana man charged with killing his 10-year-old son will be returned to his home state from Missouri.
AG Hill’s accusers file state complaint, 7th Circuit appeal over alleged groping
Following two dismissals from the Indiana Southern District Court, the four women who have accused Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill of sexual misconduct are taking their claims for battery, defamation and invasion of privacy to state court.
Interviews set to seat 3 new Marion County judges
The Marion County Judicial Selection Committee will begin conducting interviews late next month for three pending Marion Superior Court vacancies. More than three dozen lawyers and judges will be interviewed over the course of three days beginning Aug. 31.
Making the best: Adoptive families find new ways to celebrate as in-court ceremonies are called off
With in-person proceedings largely called off, adoptive families have had to adjust their plans. But as long as a case is uncontested, lawyers say judges have been willing to hold final hearings via Zoom or other platforms to give these families a sense of finality. And in some cases, adoptions in the age of COVID-19 have become a cause for community celebration.
Indiana joins national split over Fifth Amendment technology question
A 3-2 Indiana Supreme Court decision last month ruled that Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination extends to court orders for a suspect to unlock her cellphone. Other states, however, have taken the opposite stance, setting the stage for a likely US Supreme Court case.
Makris: COVID-19 presents new co-parenting issues
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread changes to everyday life that have presented new questions for parents and family law practitioners alike. While we began in uncharted territory, this experience has been an opportunity for attorneys to creatively problem solve in a time when we, like our clients, are navigating many of the same uncertainties.
Suspended trials create backlog in Vanderburgh County courts
Jury trials suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic has created a backlog of cases, including in southwestern Indiana. Hundreds of people are jailed in Evansville awaiting trial.
Divided justices order new trial in wrongful death suit involving unwilling juror
Indiana Supreme Court justices on Thursday split in ordering a new trial in a wrongful death case involving an unwilling juror and a denied for-cause challenge.
Charlestown zoo owner featured in ‘Tiger King’ now facing contempt sanctions
The owner of an embattled Charlestown zoo is now facing possible contempt sanctions after defying court orders against animal exhibition, acquisition and removal. It’s the latest installment in a long-running legal saga for a man who appears in the popular Netflix docuseries “Tiger King.”
Family ties: Reunification celebration spotlights families who achieve stability
Although many may be skeptical of parents whose children are removed from their care, statistics show that nearly 67% of Hoosier youths exit foster care and are successfully reunited with their moms and dads. Those stories of resilience inspired the Marion Superior Court Juvenile Division and the Marion County Public Defender Agency to celebrate National Reunification Month for the first time in Indiana.
New territory: State courts prepare for return of jury trials
As Hoosier trial courts prepare for the return of in-person proceedings with COVID-19 precautions, many unanswered questions remain about the best practices for safely conducting jury trials.
Justices amend juror privacy, alternate dispute resolutions rules
The Indiana Supreme Court has issued orders amending rules of the court, some of which concern juror privacy and public access to juror questionnaires and discovery of certain insurance settlement information in mediations.
Supreme Court permits Lake County jury trial to start
A civil jury trial is underway in Lake County after the Indiana Supreme Court granted a request to hold a two-day trial starting Wednesday – the first in an Indiana trial court since the suspension of in-person court proceedings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
St. Joseph County judiciary pledges to address racial inequities
In response to the statement from Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush, the St. Joseph Circuit, Superior and Probate courts have made a commitment to do better and improve justice for persons of color.