Litigation
Articles
Mobile devices lighten loads, boost productivity for attorneys
New Albany attorney Derrick Wilson is frequently in the courtroom, and when he needs to check on a fact quickly, he turns to his trusty smartphone.
2 Indiana lawyers part of legal team representing plaintiffs in 9/11 litigation
Even now, chills run down Mary Beth Ramey’s spine when she stands along the canal in downtown Indianapolis and thinks about how that spot ties into the litigation she’s been involved in for the past decade.
Attorney must pay credit card company
An Illinois attorney has lost his appeal in his fight against a credit card company seeking to collect money owed on a Discover card.
Toxic dust exposure leads to litigation
Indianapolis attorney Gabe Hawkins has already attended the funerals of three former clients, and he hopes that he won’t have to see a fourth before finally being able to say that the courtroom battle they’ve been waging for years has paid off.
Judges reverse ruling mechanic’s lien has priority over mortgages
The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled there was no reason for a trial judge to disregard the state’s priority statutes regarding liens and mortgages and find that a construction company’s mechanic’s lien has priority over previously recorded mortgages.
Golf course manager suing DuPont over herbicide
An Indianapolis-based golf course manager is leading a national class-action lawsuit charging that a herbicide manufactured by DuPont is killing trees and other vegetation.
Lawyers look to Internet, social media for clues
Surveying social media is becoming more common in trial preparation.
Indiana securities attorney dies
Prominent Indiana trial attorney Thomas A. Hargett, who obtained a $262 million jury verdict against a securities company nearly a decade ago, died last week after battling cancer.
Switching sides: defenders become plaintiffs’ attorneys
Bloomington attorney Mike Phelps was a successful defender for insurance companies for nine years. But a personal injury case that he won on behalf of the defendant caused him to question whether he was ready for a change.
Corporate lawyer leads litigation arm for Indiana-based WellPoint
When a business professor nudged Ray Umstead to consider law school three decades ago, the Ohio native never thought he’d end up working for an Indianapolis-based health insurance company that has earned the designation of having one of the best legal departments in the country.
Mental aspect of capital cases can be challenging
When it comes to tallying the total price of capital punishment, the cost of those cases for the legal community is more than just expansive legalese and court procedures that span a decade or two.
Prosecution raises awareness of human trafficking
When it comes to human trafficking, most people who are unfamiliar with the crime visualize one person holding another hostage and giving them limited contact with the rest of the world. Some envision a basement in a dungeon-like setting with chains or other restraining devices, say advocates for victims of human trafficking.
Barnes & Thornburg opens Los Angeles office
Indianapolis-based Barnes & Thornburg has expanded again, this time to the West Coast. A Los Angeles, Calif., office opened today with six attorneys from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.
Supreme Court hears arguments in victims’ advocates subpoena case
The Indiana Supreme Court heard oral arguments today involving the subpoena of records from a domestic violence agency by a defendant who had been charged with two counts of Class A felony child molesting.
Appeals court will hear challenge in Simon case
The Indiana Court of Appeals has agreed to hear an appeal from the widow of the late Melvin Simon, putting on hold a legal dispute over the mall magnate's more than $2 billion estate.
Motion & discovery
A settlement is the quicker resolution. A trial is the longer resolution. How the initial give and take between attorneys determines what happens.
Judges order consideration of discovery demands
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a Northern Indiana District Court to reconsider a German company’s discovery demands made in relation to a lawsuit pending in Germany over the alleged theft of trade secrets.
Southern District rules amended
Several Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana have been amended. The changes are effective Jan. 1.
COA reverses ruling in right of contribution case
The Indiana Court of Appeals used common law today to reverse a judgment in favor of a man suing his business partner for failing to contribute to guarantee payments.