District Court in New Albany closes early
Snow has shut down the New Albany division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
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Articles
Attorney urges jurors in house blast trial to keep open mind
An attorney for a man accused of murder and arson in a house explosion that killed two people urged jurors to keep an open mind despite emotional testimony they will hear during the trial expected to last more than a month.
Judge: Indiana wildlife facility can keep federal license
A judge has ruled that a southern Indiana wildlife facility can keep its exhibitor's license despite the U.S. Department of Agriculture's efforts to revoke it.
Indianapolis lawyer named as president of Taylor University
An Indianapolis lawyer has been selected as the next president of Taylor University in eastern Indiana.
Henderson again named ‘most influential’ in legal education
For the second year in a row, Indiana University Maurer School of Law professor William Henderson has been named the most influential person in legal education by National Jurist magazine.
Justices agree: No mistrial because of juror’s Facebook friend
The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer to a case to affirm the Court of Appeals decision denying a mistrial for a man who argued a juror’s being “friends” with the victim’s relative on Facebook required the mistrial.
Rental car insurance policy excludes UIM coverage
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the denial of an insurance company’s motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit brought by a customer injured in a car accident who had purchased optional supplemental liability protection when renting a car. The trial court incorrectly denied the company’s motion for summary judgment on the premise it did not provide uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage to the customer.
Opinions Jan. 21, 2016
Indiana Supreme Court
Kastin E. Slaybaugh v. State of Indiana
79S02-1601-CR-28
Criminal. Grants transfer to expressly adopt and incorporate by reference the Court of Appeals opinion in which it affirmed the denial of Slaybaugh’s motion for a mistrial. He alleged juror misconduct because a juror who had denied knowing the victim or her family was a “Facebook” friend with a relative of the victim. The juror testified she was a Realtor and had many “Facebook” friends for networking purposes and did not know the victim or her family, which the trial court accepted she was being truthful.
Indiana Senate passes bill regulating fenced-in deer hunting
Indiana's hunting preserves could soon get an ultimatum from the state now that the Senate passed a bill listing requirements for the facilities.
MLB settlement gives baseball fans new viewing options
Major League Baseball, Comcast Corp. and DirecTV agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by fans over how games are broadcast, a crack in the dam the league and pay TV have built against unrestrained viewing.
Emmis sues insurer over $4M in legal fees
Emmis Communications Corp. has filed breach-of-contract suit against a New York-based insurance company for refusing to cover any of the more than $4 million in legal fees the media company accumulated in a long-running court battle with preferred shareholders.
Senate passes adoptee birth-records bill
Advocates for granting Indiana adoptees access to their birth certificates appear on the way to victory this year after years of trying.
Former Indiana mayor pleads guilty in embezzlement case
A former northwestern Indiana mayor has pleaded guilty to helping his stepdaughter cover up her embezzlement of funds from a court.
Indiana’s 6 commercial courts set to begin June 1
Six commercial courts handling specialized dockets of business cases were announced Wednesday in an order of the Indiana Supreme Court.
Judge wants state to discard ‘archaic’ coverture fraction
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the division of a husband’s pension through the use of the coverture fraction, but one judge questioned why Indiana continues to use the doctrine which has its origin in an “outdated and misogynist view” of the rights and roles of men and women.
COA finds 1 out of 3 dental advertising regulations unconstitutional
The regulation that compels dentists to disclose every dentist within the practice in advertisements is unconstitutional, the Indiana Court of Appeals held Wednesday. It held two other challenged regulations regarding advertising are not unconstitutional.
Opinions Jan. 20, 2016
Indiana Court of Appeals
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency and Indiana State Board of Dentistry v. Irfan A. Atcha, D.D.S.
49A02-1504-MI-197
Miscellaneous. Affirms in part and reverses in part the trial court’s finding that three dental advertising regulations are unconstitutional. The state properly restricted Dr. Atcha’s false and misleading claims implying he had a particular dental specialty and could provide better materials or superior service than other dentists. But the state may not compel a dentist to list on his advertisements every dentist in his practice. Remands for the board to reassess the penalty in light of this decision.
Divided Senate panel OKs guns for Statehouse staffers
Indiana General Assembly staff members would be allowed to carry handguns inside the state Capitol under a bill recommended for passage on a party-line vote Wednesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Jury seated in trial of man accused in fatal house explosion
A jury of eight men and four women has been seated for the trial of a man accused of murder, arson and conspiracy charges.
Law schools, ILS partner on foreclosure prevention services
A grant from the Office of the Indiana Attorney General will help fund a partnership between Indiana Legal Services Inc. and two law schools in an effort to provide more services to those facing foreclosure in the state.