Articles

Goff discusses path to bench, sentencing reform efforts

Indiana Supreme Court Justice Christopher Goff won the lottery. That’s how he describes his legal career, at least. Goff spoke about his legal and judicial career during a Friday afternoon session at the Indiana State Bar Association Solo/Small Firm Conference, held over the weekend in French Lick.

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Wabash Superior judge appointed in 2017 dies at 42

A judge appointed to the Wabash Superior Court by Gov. Eric Holcomb less than two years ago as a successor to now-Indiana Supreme Court Justice Christopher Goff has died. Judge Amy Catherine Conner Cornell, 42, died Feb. 19 after an illness.

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David, Goff publish dissent after justices let stand parents’ reimbursement order

Two Indiana Supreme Court justices have once again published a dissent from a 3-2 transfer ruling, which this time let stand a monthly reimbursement order for the parents of an adjudicated teen despite their alleged struggle to meet the payment requirements. Justices Steven David and Christopher Goff argued the trial court should have conducted a specific inquiry into the parents’ ability to pay the ordered reimbursement.

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David, Rush publish dissent as high court lets stand sentencing via video

Indiana’s chief justice and the most senior jurist on the Indiana Supreme Court published a sharp dissent Tuesday from a 3-2 ruling that could pave the way for defendants to be sentenced via video. Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Steven David argued in the minority that defendants have a constitutional right to be physically present when a judge imposes a sentence for a crime.

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Justices reinstate child molesting convictions under attenuation doctrine

Four Level 1 felony child molesting convictions will be reinstated against a Blackford County man after the Indiana Supreme Court found the man’s incriminating statements to police were sufficiently attenuated from an illegal search and seizure of his apartment. The court’s ruling also more broadly holds that the federal attenuation doctrine can be applied under the Indiana Constitution.

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Supreme Court: E-filing now covers 90 percent of state

Electronic filing now covers 90 percent of Indiana trial courts and nearly 80 percent of the state’s caseload is now handled through the Odyssey case management system, the Indiana Supreme Court highlighted Monday with the release of its annual report. The annual report includes a broad statistical overview of the work of the court during the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

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Justices OK resentencing after gang enhancement vacated

An Evansville trial court may resentence a would-be robber for his eight convictions after the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that vacating the defendant’s criminal gang enhancement did not rid the trial court of its resentencing authority.

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New attorneys take oaths, told to be civil and kind

During the Indiana Supreme Court Admission Ceremony Tuesday in downtown Indianapolis, the state’s newest attorneys were reminded that how they conduct themselves as human beings will be just as important in their careers as their knowledge of the law.

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In 2017, IL readers most followed these links

Breaking news and online updates of major legal stories were the most-read articles on TheIndianaLawyer.com in 2017, according to an analysis of pageviews. Here are the IL’s Top 20 most-read online stories of the past year.

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Goff investiture

Goff joins high court in emotional ceremony

As Justice Christopher Goff sat in his spot on the Indiana Supreme Court bench Friday morning, donning his official justice robe, he told a crowd of well-wishers gathered in the courtroom and the Indiana House of Representatives that he was feeling three emotions: gratitude, responsibility and hopefulness.

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