Disciplinary Actions – 5/6/15
Read who’s been disbarred or suspended by the Indiana Supreme Court.
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Articles
Indiana Tech Law School slips in first round of accreditation
Indiana Tech Law School has failed to convince the American Bar Association to give provisional accreditation to its program, handing the Fort Wayne school a setback and raising questions about its students’ futures.
Michael: The importance of Article 7 of the Ind. Administrative Code
Article 7 of the Indiana Administrative Code provides standards, procedures and protections for students with disabilities and is a “lucky number” for attorneys to remember when it comes to clients and their educational needs.
Parents of autistic children gird for showdown with Anthem
A showdown is brewing over autism therapy in Indiana. After an Elkhart couple with an autistic son sued Indianapolis-based health insurer Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in April, autism families around the state have started a campaign to get Anthem to change its policy for covering therapy for school-age children.
Veering from the plan
Nearly 25 years since graduating, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law alums reflect on their careers and the value of their law degrees.
Dean’s Desk: Stewart Fellows bring global experience to Indiana
Globalization, once the exclusive domain of so-called international lawyers, now touches many lawyers’ practices. For this reason, the IU Maurer School of Law has been on the forefront of offering global opportunities to our students.
IU McKinney drops LSAT requirement for select students
A recent change in ABA rule is expected to spur law schools to start direct admission programs.
Do-over expected to bring same result in contraception case
In a second round of oral arguments regarding the University of Notre Dame’s challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals not only remained dubious of the school’s assertions but also seemed perplexed as to why the case came back to the court.
Technology Untangled: Remember this useful tip for fixing a computer
There is always so much new information to learn and absorb when utilizing and maintaining your computer. Sometimes, though, you can forget about some of the really good things you already know (or knew). After digging deep into a recent computer problem that appeared to be a major issue, I remembered to try an easy fix.
Neutral Corner: Admitting mediation communications in bad-faith actions
Are statements, offers and demands made during a mediation admissible in a bad-faith case? This issue is presently pending before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and is being watched by many in the mediation community with the hope it will clarify to what extent exceptions will continue to be created to the mediation confidentiality statutes.
Mediation Assistance Program appoints counsel to help litigants settle cases
The program, started in 2009, matches attorney volunteers with pro se litigants as they enter settlement talks. In its inaugural year, MAP appointed legal counsel to two settlement conferences. By 2013, MAP attorneys assisted in 43 conferences.
Johnson County ADR program sees uptick in caseload
Every day, a program in Franklin works with families struggling with divorce, custody battles and child support disputes. The goal is to help resolve arguments, get cases through the court system faster, and help families move on.
Indiana attorney disbarred by Supreme Court for ‘profoundly disturbing’ behavior
R. Mark Keaton lost his license to practice law recently, but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing his vendetta against a woman who ended what the Indiana Supreme Court called “a tempestuous long-distance relationship.”
Capstone of criminal code reform put in place during 2015 session
The bill establishing the funding and the mechanism to distribute the dollars needed for Indiana’s new criminal code reform had a bumpy ride through the Statehouse. But in the final hours of the 2015 legislative session, lawmakers approved language that ensured the money would be funneled through local programs and projects designed to reduce recidivism and ease overcrowding in Indiana’s prisons.
Jury is out on Indiana Tax Court
The Indiana Supreme Court on April 20 appointed a task force to study the work volume, operations and performance of Indiana’s Tax Court, created in 1986 by the Legislature to remove the intricate tax cases from state trial courts.
Indiana Supreme Court approves amended pro bono reporting rule
The Indiana Supreme Court has amended the state’s new pro bono reporting rule, narrowing the focus to measuring only the direct representation given to indigent litigants.
Opinions May 4, 2015
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Bruce Carneil Webster v. Charles A. Daniels
14-1049
Judge William T. Lawrence, District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Terre Haute Division.
Criminal. In a 6-5 decision, En banc review reverses 7th Circuit panel judgment that new evidence can never satisfy the habeas corpus standard of 28 U.S.C. § 2255(e). Remands for proceedings allowing Webster to present new evidence that may demonstrate categorical and constitutional ineligibility for the death penalty. Circuit Judge Frank Easterbrook dissented, arguing Webster’s new evidence did not meet the “clear and convincing” language required for relief. Easterbrook was joined in dissent by Circuit Judges William J. Bauer, Michael S. Kanne, Diane S. Sykes and John Tinder.
Justices to review ruling for father of fatally injured moped rider
The Indiana Supreme Court will hear a case, stemming from a fatal crash, in which the trial court and Court of Appeals reached different results.
Judge allows woman’s suit over jail miscarriage to proceed
A federal judge has ruled that a northern Indiana woman can proceed with her lawsuit alleging negligence in a miscarriage she suffered while in custody.
Central Indiana county seeks to develop work release program
Officials in a central Indiana county are seeking to develop a community work release program that would keep the jail from becoming overcrowded and could save taxpayers the expense of having to expand or eventually build a new jail.