Committee endorses new Hamilton County court, magistrates for 3 counties
Four Indiana counties are one step closer to adding judicial officers or a new court after winning the approval of a legislative committee.
Justices/Judges
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New American Bar Foundation study details decline of jury trials
Fewer than one in 100 civil matters are decided by juries and less than 4% of criminal cases are, a new study from the American Bar Foundation reports, even as lawyers and judges agree that jury trials tend to be fairer than many alternatives.
New county judges also presiding over former city, town courts
Former municipal court judges in Madison and Vigo counties who have been elected to their county trial court benches will continue to preside over their former dockets at least temporarily, the Indiana Supreme Court has ordered.
Judge blocks Holcomb appointment to St. Joseph Superior Court
A northern Indiana judge has issued an injunction prohibiting Gov. Eric Holcomb from appointing a new judge to the St. Joseph Superior Court while a lawsuit filed against the governor by a fellow Republican appointee to that county’s judicial nominating commission proceeds.
Web Exclusive: Garcia first Hispanic judge named to Southern District bench
In a Q&A with Indiana Lawyer, new Southern District of Indiana Mario Garcia said he anticipates utilizing his background and diverse legal experiences to help people resolve their legal issues quickly and justly.
Disciplinary Commission director Witte to retire
Longtime attorney discipline executive director G. Michael Witte will retire from his post, the Indiana Supreme Court has announced. Witte, a former trial court judge who has overseen the disciplinary commission for a decade, will step down next month.
Federal judge rejects lawsuit seeking to overturn Trump loss
A federal judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit filed by two Republican Wisconsin lawmakers, voting rights groups and others seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Wisconsin and four other swing states where Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump.
CJ Roberts’ year-end report highlights judiciary’s accomplishments despite COVID
At the end of a year full of unprecedented challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Chief Justice John G. Roberts shared his appreciation for the unsung heroes in the judicial branch in his annual year-end report.
Indy firm behind Trump Wisconsin election challenge weighs SCOTUS bid
With little more than a week before a joint session of Congress will formally count votes of the Electoral College that President-elect Joe Biden won by a 306-232 margin, President Donald Trump continues to bend the ear of an Indianapolis attorney who unsuccessfully argued to overturn Wisconsin’s election results.
Lawsuit challenges Indiana laws on disposal of fetal remains
An Indianapolis abortion clinic is suing the state of Indiana, challenging provisions of a state law upheld last year by the U.S. Supreme Court requiring fetal remains to be buried or cremated after an abortion.
Indiana commercial courts branching out
Indiana’s commercial court docket is expanding for the first time, with four new venues opening in 2021. Hamilton, Madison, St. Joseph and Vigo counties will join Allen, Elkhart, Floyd, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh counties in offering the specialized business dockets.
Supreme Court certifies, recertifies senior judges
The Indiana Supreme Court has certified two additional judicial officers as senior judges for 2021.
CJ Rush: Pandemic changed judiciary, but courts kept working
Speaking with reporters via Zoom on Thursday, Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush acknowledged that despite efforts to keep courts operating remotely as much as possible, judges will face the difficult task in 2021 of working through COVID-created backlogs and getting their dockets back on schedule.
3 finalists named to replace retiring Marion Superior Judge Borges
The names of three nominees vying to fill an upcoming Marion County judicial vacancy — two magistrate judges and a deputy prosecutor — have been announced.
Magistrate Judge Bokota named to Lake Superior bench
A longtime Lake County magistrate judge has been selected to become the next Lake Superior Court judge.
Senate prepares to vote on Kirsch nomination to 7th Circuit
Thomas Kirsch, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, will likely get one step closer to joining the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals today with the U.S. Senate scheduled to vote on the cloture motion for his nomination at 5:30 p.m.
Justices certify retiring jurists as new senior judges
Numerous longtime Indiana jurists were certified as first-time senior judges last week by the Indiana Supreme Court.
Trump thought courts were key to winning. Judges disagreed.
President Donald Trump and his allies say their lawsuits aimed at reversing his loss to Joe Biden would be substantiated, if only judges were allowed to hear the cases. But judges have heard the cases and have been among the harshest critics of the legal arguments put forth by Trump’s legal team.
High court hears Nazi-era cases from Germany, Hungary
The Supreme Court on Monday struggled with whether to allow two lawsuits stemming from claims of property taken from Jews in Germany and Hungary during the Nazi era to continue in U.S. courts.
Southern District Court announces appointment of newest magistrate judge
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana announced its newest magistrate judge on Friday, who will help alleviate the overwhelming caseload faced by one of the busiest federal court districts in the country.