Supreme Court to take up LGBT job discrimination cases
The Supreme Court is taking on a major test of LGBT rights in cases that look at whether federal civil rights law bans job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
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COA upholds judgment for university against former employees
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of two former Oakland City University employees’ claims against the school and its president, concluding they were not fraudulently induced into their employment or fired in retaliation for uncovering misuse of public funds.
Indianapolis airport authority prevails in hotel lease termination suit
A hotel in partnership with the Indianapolis International Airport that failed to meet its rebranding requirements also failed to convince an Indiana Court of Appeals that its lease agreement should not have been terminated.
Local lender files $20M lawsuit against fast-food franchisee
An Indianapolis-based company that specializes in lending money to restaurant franchisees has filed a $20 million lawsuit against the operator of 70 fast-food restaurants in Indiana and three other states, claiming it breached its loan agreements by defaulting on payments and failing to properly run its franchises.
Reversal: Sheriff ordered to give father records in daughter’s death investigation
The Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed a decision denying a father access to public records from the Warrick County Sheriff’s Department concerning his daughter’s mysterious death. A unanimous panel concluded that because the documents he requested were not investigatory, they were unable to be withheld under an exception to the Indiana Access to Public Records Act.
COA rules against bank in dismissed $19K collection case
A bank that sued a customer but failed to act until after the case was dismissed almost a year later failed to provide sufficient evidence to the Indiana Court of Appeals that the dismissal should be set aside.
Local auto group hit with class-action suit over document fee
A class-action lawsuit filed last week against Andy Mohr Automotive Group alleges the Indiana company violated a state law prohibiting deceptive consumer sales tactics.
COA reaffirms trial court should hear grandparents’ visitation argument
The Indiana Court of Appeals reiterated that a pair of grandparents seeking to visit their deceased son’s child should be given their day in court.
Seriously injured truck driver’s suit against Celadon reinstated
A semi-truck driver who was seriously injured after the contents of his trailer fell on him upon opening the door after transport won partial judgment against the trucking company responsible for loading the trailer when an appellate panel found the company owed him a duty of care.
Reversal: No valid settlement in Crown Point bicycle crash
Years after three Crown Point bicyclists sued each other for negligence after a crash, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed an order and implementation of a settlement agreement when it found the parties had never come to a valid agreement.
Reversal: Inmate denied DOC manual gets new trial
An inmate’s claims he was denied a fair trial can move forward now that the Indiana Court of Appeals has concluded the state’s failure to provide him with an Indiana Department of Corrections professional conduct manual left him unable to prepare a proper defense against an officer who shoved him.
Same-sex birth certificate case stalls at 7th Circuit, putting families in limbo
Both Jackie Phillips-Stackman and her wife, Lisa, carry copies of their daughter’s birth certificate with them wherever they go as they wait for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to issue an opinion that they fear could upend their family.
COA reverses civil ruling for alleged drunken driver
The victim of an alleged drunken driving accident will have the opportunity to seek punitive damages after the Indiana Court of Appeals determined summary judgment for the allegedly drunken driver was not appropriate.
7th Circuit case highlights confusion over online home value ‘Zestimates’
The 7th Circuit both rejected proposed class action lawsuit against the website Zillow, but Realtors and real estate attorneys still have concerns about whether its “Zestimates” are unnecessarily misleading. Zillow, however, insists its estimation practices are transparent and legal, thus making their home valuations a beneficial tool for buyers and sellers.
IU profs contribute to ruling upholding short-term rental regulation
With the help of an amicus brief from several professors — including two from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business — Santa Monica, California successfully urged the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold its local regulation of short-term rental properties offered through websites such as Airbnb.
Judge lets South Bend abortion clinic challenge proceed
National healthcare and abortion providers seeking to open an abortion clinic in northern Indiana received a ruling in their favor last week when a federal judge denied the state’s motion to dismiss a complaint challenging the constitutionality of Indiana abortion clinic licensing regulations.
Senate panel OKs ban on second-trimester abortion procedure
An Indiana Senate panel is backing legislation that would largely ban a commonly used second-trimester abortion procedure while a potential challenge to another Indiana abortion restriction remains pending before justices of the United States Supreme Court.
Nonprofit denied abortion clinic challenging licensing rules
A nonprofit group stymied in its 18-month bid to open a South Bend abortion clinic is seeking a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order blocking Indiana’s rules licensing such operations.
COA: Med-mal dismissal affirmed for counsel’s untimely filings
A woman who partially blamed her attorney’s personal problems for her failure to timely file pleadings in her proposed medical malpractice complaints could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that her case should not be dismissed. Among other things, the appellate panel simply found she failed to spend her time wisely.
Fifty women say Salesforce helped traffickers exploit them
Fifty women who describe themselves as survivors of sex trafficking on the now-defunct Backpage.com web portal accuse Salesforce.com Inc. of profiting off each advertisement.