Special prosecutor named in Indianapolis councilman’s molestation case
A special prosecutor has been appointed to oversee the case against an Indianapolis City-County councilman charged with three counts of child molestation.
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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.
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.
Appellate court affirms battery conviction, probation condition
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a man’s battery conviction and probationary prohibition on possession of a firearm, finding the trial court did not err in the process of hearing testimony and imposing a sentence.
Indy attorneys see cultural shifts, U.S. similarities on Saudi Arabia trip
It’s a different world, yet many things are the same, including cross-cultural family ties. Those are the impression of Indianapolis attorneys Monica Foster and Bob Hammerle after a two-week visit to Saudi Arabia last month to witness the wedding of their former foreign exchange student, Abdulazziz al Ayed.
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.
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.
Ruling: Lids store managers may proceed with pay class-action
Indianapolis-based Lids store managers who claim they were denied overtime pay in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act cleared the first hurdle Tuesday in a proposed class-action lawsuit.
Law firm mergers ‘white hot’ in 2017, hit record of 102
After a bit of a slowdown in 2016, the pace of mergers and acquisitions among U.S. law firms accelerated again in 2017 to a record 102, according to Altman Weil MergerLine.
Indianapolis receives worker’s “chronic body odor” lawsuit
Indianapolis is being sued by a former courts official who alleges that she was fired after she installed air fresheners to combat a co-worker’s “obnoxious chronic body odor.”
COA: Defendants have right to counsel before drug recognition exam
A woman had her conviction overturned after the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled she should have been allowed to consult an attorney before undergoing a drug recognition exam.
Two ex-nursing home execs to plead guilty in kickback scheme
Two former executives with a company that operates dozens of Indiana nursing homes have agreed to plead guilty in a kickback scheme involving millions of dollars. Court documents unsealed this week show that former American Senior Communities CEO James Burkhart and former Chief Operating Officer Daniel Benson, both 52, have reached plea deals.
Conour to be resentenced; feds on guard for ‘brazen’ arguments
The 10-year prison sentence imposed on former attorney and convicted fraudster William Conour has been vacated and remanded for resentencing. The government Wednesday urged the judge who will again resentence him not to indulge arguments that he, rather than former clients he stole from, is a victim.
Indiana’s struggling child welfare system to test Holcomb
Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb has remained largely silent as children’s advocates, including a member of his own Cabinet, say bean counting by his administration has starved Indiana’s child welfare agency amid a soaring number of cases fueled by the opioid epidemic.
Attorney who claimed improper influence over judges suspended
An attorney who implied to a client that he had the ability to improperly influence judges and suggested his client flee the court’s jurisdiction to avoid criminal prosecution has been suspended for 90 days.
Attorney who claimed improper influence over judges suspended
An attorney who implied to a client that he had the ability to improperly influence judges and suggested his client flee the court’s jurisdiction to avoid criminal prosecution has been suspended for 90 days.
COA upholds 12(B)(6) dismissal of complaint against bank
A bank that removed a home from a sheriff’s sale list did not breach its contract with the property owners through an in rem decree of foreclosure because the decree included language allowing the bank to remove the home from the sale list, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled.
Gymnast McKayla Maroney says settlement covered up sex abuse
Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney was forced to sign a confidential settlement with the group that trains U.S. Olympic gymnasts to keep allegations that she was sexually abused by team doctor Larry Nassar a secret, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Urban killings rise in clusters, even as cities grow safer
When she started an urban farm in one of Indianapolis’ roughest neighborhoods, retired chemist Aster Bekele wanted to teach at-risk kids how to garden, and maybe sneak in a little science.
Attorneys: Guidance needed for waiving presence at hearing
Counsel for both parties to a mental health commitment case agreed on one central issue when they argued before the Indiana Supreme Court on Tuesday: attorneys and judges need guidance on when a respondent’s right to be present at their commitment hearing can be waived.