Officials warn flood victims in the state to be wary of disaster opportunists
Authorities are now warning those reeling from the floods that ravaged northern and southern Indiana against these scammers.
Lake County
Articles
Holcomb orders special session to address school safety, tax reform
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Monday morning ordered lawmakers to return to the Statehouse sometime in May for a special session of the Indiana General Assembly after Republican supermajorities failed to come to consensus on key bills by the time this year’s session ended last week.
Appellate court upholds conviction in killing of man’s girlfriend, unborn baby
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a murder conviction against a man who killed his girlfriend and unborn child, finding the warrantless search of his girlfriend’s apartment did not violate his state or federal constitutional rights.
City of Gary fighting sanctuary city lawsuit
The city of Gary is defending its welcoming ordinance, filing a motion for summary judgment last week in Lake Superior Court against plaintiffs who claim the municipal government violates the state’s “sanctuary city preemption law.”
Timeliness hurdle blocks attempt to intervene in consent decree
Although a federal judge sympathized the with East Chicago residents who have been waiting years for their neighborhoods to be decontaminated, he ultimately held that their quest to intervene in a consent decree was untimely.
Settlement with polluting East Chicago coke plant offers complex resolution
The consent decree reached between the state of Indiana, the federal government and the metallurgical coke manufacturers in East Chicago is 69 pages of terms and conditions detailed in dense legal and scientific language.
ACLU report finds alarming rights abuses by law enforcement, judges
Getting into debt is easy, but people who fall behind in payments can find themselves fending off aggressive debt collectors, acquiescing courts and even incarceration.
Judge’s revocation of plea deal, longer sentence affirmed
A man convicted of negligence resulting in the death of this 3-month-old son lost his appeal Wednesday, failing to show that a judge erred in revoking his plea agreement before sentencing, which led to a longer sentence when he was convicted after a trial.
ACLU report: Debtors’ prisons no longer relic of Dickensian past
Hoosiers who bounce a check, fall behind in rent, or owe even a few dollars can find themselves arrested and thrown in jail, according to a new report by the American Civil Liberties Union released this week that examines the rise of debtor’s prison in the United States.
Indiana town paying $150K to settle sex harassment claim
The northwestern Indiana town of St. John has agreed to pay a former police dispatcher $150,000 to settle her sexual harassment claim against a former police official and town councilman.
COA strikes fee collection statute drafted to benefit Bloomington, West Lafayette
A fee collection statute the city of Hammond alleged was enacted for the benefit of only two Indiana cities must be struck from Indiana law after the Indiana Court of Appeals determined Monday the statute violated special legislation restrictions in the Indiana Constitution.
Lawmakers approve bill allowing sunscreen at school
The Indiana Legislature has given final approval to a measure that would allow students to carry sunscreen while at school.
7th Circuit upholds $87,000 verdict against insurer after house fire
An insurance company must pay $87,000 in damages to an Indiana homeowner whose house burned to the ground after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals determined there was sufficient evidence to support the jury’s damages award.
Indiana House passes bill to overhaul high school diplomas
The Indiana House on Monday approved a bill that would overhaul the types of high school diplomas offered to students.
Ex-Merrillville councilman pleads guilty to bribery
A former northwest Indiana town councilman has pleaded guilty to bribery for his role in an influence-buying scheme for towing contracts. The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported Thomas Goralczyk, 51, entered the plea Wednesday in federal court.
Centier Bank denied rehearing, cautioned in fraud appeal
A bank that lost its appeal of a trial court judgment against it failed to advance its cause with a petition for the Indiana Court of Appeals to rehear its case. The court cited an intervening Indiana Supreme Court decision in opting to dismiss the bank’s appeal while also cautioning counsel for the tone of the bank’s arguments.
COA reverses denial of PCR petition
A pro se defendant sentenced to 100 years of incarceration can take his case back to the trial court after the Indiana Court of Appeals found his appellate counsel prejudiced him by not raising the issue of whether his waiver of counsel was knowing, intelligent and voluntary.
Ex-Lake County sheriff appealing federal conviction
A former Lake County sheriff is appealing his conviction in a public corruption case.
East Chicago facility settles suit over Clean Air Act violations
Cokenergy, SunCoke Energy and its subsidiary Indiana Harbor Coke Co. have reached a settlement including $5 million in penalties with the state and federal governments to clean up operations in East Chicago, resolving a case that involved hundreds of violations of federal pollution standards.
Applications open for coming Court of Appeals vacancy
Northern Indiana judges and lawyers may now apply to succeed long-serving Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Michael Barnes, Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush announced Wednesday.