COA upholds involuntary mental health commitment
A man who challenged his involuntary mental health commitment after he had already been released failed to convince the Court of Appeals of Indiana that he shouldn’t have been held against his will.
mental health
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Work in progress: Juvenile justice mental health, safety concerns addressed in new law
Concerns about the safety and well-being of Hoosier youth housed in juvenile justice facilities across the state have drawn attention from the U.S. Department of Justice on multiple occasions. Action was taken to remedy those concerns, but the root of the problem facing Indiana’s juvenile justice system is still wound in a tangled mess that lawmakers and juvenile advocates are trying to unravel.
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Web Exclusive: Dementia takes toll on aging lawyers, colleagues
He wasn’t angry — he was just scared. Surrounded by loved ones and law partners, the aging attorney finally confessed that he needed help.
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‘A tenacious spirit’: Chief Justice Rush commends perseverance of judiciary in unprecedented times
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush on Jan. 12 presented her eighth State of the Judiciary address to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, state lawmakers and fellow judges, providing an update on the condition of Indiana’s courts. She returned to the Indiana House of Representatives chamber to address the General Assembly following a virtual address in 2021.
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Web Exclusive: Indiana Legal Services wellness program finding success, gaining attention
What started as a short-term solution for improving employee mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has now turned into a full-fledged initiative at Indiana Legal Services.
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Articles
Man found not responsible for Times Square vehicle rampage
A man who drove his car through crowds of people in Times Square in 2017, killing a young tourist and maiming helpless pedestrians, was cleared of responsibility Wednesday because of mental illness.
Story of Indy man’s struggles told at sentencing
By the time Tyrone Anthony Lewis Ross stood on the street corner in downtown Indianapolis at 11:15 p.m. on May 30, 2020, he had survived an abusive childhood, had long struggled with mental health issues and was well-known to local law enforcement.
Decade of service: Indiana marks 10 years of veterans courts
A decade after the first veterans court opened in Floyd County, there are now 28 veterans courts statewide, according to the Indiana Supreme Court. On May 10, at the Ogle Hall auditorium on Ivy Tech Community College’s Sellersburg campus, the first veterans court celebrated its 10th anniversary along with a ceremony honoring its newest cohort of graduates.
Justices remand appeal of moot commitment order, clarify precedent on public-interest exception in commitment cases
Despite her involuntary commitment order having long since expired, a woman will be permitted to challenge the order at the Court of Appeals of Indiana after the Indiana Supreme Court issued a decision clarifying its precedent on how appellate courts should review involuntary commitment cases that have become moot. A dissenting justice, however, repeated previous concerns about the majority’s approach to the public-interest mootness exception.
Lawsuit challenges state’s handling of mentally ill
With allegations that individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial are being left to languish in Indiana’s county jails, a federal lawsuit filed in May by Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services is bringing renewed attention to the treatment of mentally ill inmates in the state’s criminal justice system.
Lawsuit alleges incompetent defendants not getting mental health services they need
The Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services Commission, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and Indiana Disability Rights, has filed a lawsuit alleging individuals found not competent to stand trial are being left to languish in county jails rather than receiving mental health services as required by law.
IndyBar: President’s Message: Your Wellness Should Be Your Priority
Research demonstrates that practicing mindful behavior can improve your mental and physical health by reducing chronic pain, lowering blood pressure, and combatting depression and anxiety.
Bill allowing Level 6 felons to go to DOC headed to governor’s desk
A bill allowing Level 6 felony offenders to serve their sentences in the Indiana Department of Correction for mental health and addiction treatment is headed for the governor’s desk.
Indiana Senate endorses bill allowing Level 6 offenders to go to DOC
A bill allowing Level 6 felony offenders to serve their sentences in the Indiana Department of Correction for addiction and mental health treatment has passed the full Indiana Senate, setting the bill up for final consideration.
Assessment and Intervention Center takes on broad mandate
When Indianapolis’ Assessment and Intervention Center opened in December 2020, it did so in the middle of the construction site that has become the Community Justice Campus, during what was then the deadliest and most infectious month of the pandemic. Since then, the AIC, originally intended to divert low-level, nonviolent offenders from Marion County’s criminal justice apparatus, has conducted more than 1,700 assessments for Indianapolis residents struggling with mental health or substance abuse disorders.
March trial set for suspect in Indiana officer’s slaying
An Indiana man indicted in the fatal shooting of a Terre Haute police detective who was also an FBI task force officer faces a March trial in the slaying.
Justices dismiss as moot juvenile’s interlocutory appeal challenging placement order
The Indiana Supreme Court has dismissed as moot a juvenile’s appeal challenging her placement at a residential treatment facility, doing away with an appellate decision it says may not correctly advise courts regarding competency-related treatment.
COA to consider admission of PTSD evidence in case of wife charged with murder
A Wadesville woman charged with murdering her husband is taking her claim of self-defense to the Court of Appeals of Indiana, arguing the Posey Circuit Court erred when it excluded testimony from a doctor who diagnosed her as having PTSD due to battery.
Business tax cuts top Holcomb’s 2022 agenda
Reducing the business tax on equipment and modernizing tax incentives to attract more businesses to Indiana are among the top items on Gov. Eric Holcomb’s 2022 legislative agenda.
Appeal of temporary involuntary commitment dismissed, but dissent calls for Supreme Court clarification
A woman’s appeal of her involuntary mental health commitment has been dismissed as moot because she has already been released from commitment. However, the Court of Appeals of Indiana split sharply in the decision, with the dissenting judge calling on the Indiana Supreme Court to clarify recent precedent on how appeals of temporary involuntary commitments should be decided.
COA: Hospitals not entitled to summary judgment in mental-heath slaying case
The Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed the denial of summary judgment for several hospital defendants sued by a woman whose husband was murdered by their mentally ill grandson soon after he was discharged.
Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to 2018 Parkland school massacre
Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering 17 people during a rampage at his former high school in Parkland, Florida, leaving a jury to decide whether he will be executed for one of the nation’s deadliest school shootings.
Justices reverse denial of claim against hospital in case tied to killing
The Indiana Supreme Court has reversed the denial of a woman’s claim against a hospital that discharged her grandson just before he murdered her husband, remanding for reconsideration of her motion to amend under Indiana Trial Rule 15(C).
John Hinckley, who shot Reagan, to be freed from oversight
A federal judge said Monday that John Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan four decades ago, can be freed from all remaining restrictions next year if he continues to follow those rules and remains mentally stable.