Oral arguments

As March Madness was wrapping up in Indianapolis, United States Supreme Court justices heard oral argument in a monumental compensation case that sports law experts anticipate will forever change the landscape of college athletics — including the nation’s most beloved and profitable college basketball competition.

The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made many visits to Indiana during her tenure on the Supreme Court. She had friendships with the law professors and deans at the law schools in the Hoosier State, and she influenced law students, lawyers and judges across the state. “Imagine a young law student faced with the challenge by a Supreme Court Justice,” recalled a former IU Maruer law student who is now a federal judge.

Though there have been some technical hiccups, lawyers report generally positive experiences with remote appellate oral arguments. Even so, some advocates say the most impactful arguments are made in person.

After more than 10 years with a criminal record, an Elkhart man successfully petitioned to reduce his felony conviction to a misdemeanor. But when he tried to expunge the conviction two years later, he faced an unexpected setback. The Indiana Supreme Court will decide whether he and others in his situation must wait longer for an expungement.