Woman charged with strangling stepdaughter waives counsel
A Marion woman charged in the strangulation death of her 10-year-old stepdaughter has waived her right to an attorney and says she will represent herself in court.
Pro se
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Web Exclusive: ILS pilot guides pro se parents in child support
A pilot partnership between Indiana Legal Services and a Tippecanoe County court is providing in-court assistance to pro se litigants in divorce cases. Attorneys sit down with litigants behind closed doors, gather the necessary child-support information, fill out the paperwork and send parents back into the courtroom.
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Reversal: Drugs found in sock not admissible
Three Clark County drug convictions were overturned Thursday after the Indiana Court of Appeals determined drug evidence found in a suspect’s sock should not have been admitted.
Southern District bans on pro se prison filer for ‘pattern of dishonesty’
A pro se prisoner and serial litigator has been barred from making additional civil filings in the Southern District of Indiana unless he pays nearly $5,000 in filing fees. A judge also raised the possibility of a perjury referral for any future violations.
Denial of last-minute public defender request upheld
A man who was convicted of domestic battery after being denied his request for a public defender has failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that his 11th-hour request for counsel should have been granted.
Prisoner’s puzzling pro se appeal again leads to dismissal
Deficiencies in a pro se prisoner’s appellate filings have once again prevented the Indiana Court of Appeals from considering the man’s argument against an unfavorable trial court judgment.
Amended rule broadens judges’ discretion with pro se litigants
The Indiana Supreme Court has amended Code of Judicial Conduct Rule 2.2 dealing with the impartiality and fairness of Indiana judges.
Split COA grants new trial to defendant denied pro se request
A split Indiana Court of Appeals has granted a new trial to a man who was convicted after he was refused his right to represent himself in his criminal case. The majority found the defendant timely filed and was unjustly denied his pro se request.
Bill allowing e-filing service passes House, Senate
Attorneys tired of filing services of notice by snail mail are closer to the option of doing so electronically, now that both bodies of the Indiana Legislature have approved a measure that would do so.
COA traveling to North Manchester, Valparaiso for oral arguments
The Indiana Court of Appeals will travel north this week to hear oral arguments in two cases involving narcotics and murder.
New site a landing page for civil legal aid
The Coalition for Court Access recently launched the website Indianalegalhelp.org. Now, Hoosiers needing help with a divorce, child custody issue, eviction or other civil legal problems have a new place to find answers and additional resources without having to make a phone call, schedule an appointment or even drive to a courthouse.
After heartbreak, Evansville’s public law library writing next chapter
At any time during the week, members of the public, pro se litigants and attorneys find their way into the Evansville public law library and quickly turn a quiet day into a busy one.
Default judgment for buyers reversed in suit against car dealer
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court’s denial of a car dealership’s motion to set aside a default judgment for two customers when it found a dealership employee was given incorrect information about his need for representation during a hearing.
COA upholds denial of pro se rights to ‘sovereign citizen’
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the termination of a man’s self-representation after determining he engaged in deliberately obstructive behavior that threatened to undermine the proceedings of his case by claiming to be a "sovereign citizen."
Inmate who dressed as old woman, carried urine into court loses appeal of denial of pro se rights
A Marion County defendant whose right to proceed pro se was terminated after a judge determined his physical state precluded him from doing so has lost his appeal of that termination, with the Indiana Court of Appeals finding the man used his illness to try to influence the court and jury.
Judge strikes brief for exceeding word count
A man who did not understand how to properly figure the word count in his appellant brief was ordered to rewrite it and explain why he should not be penalized for falsely representing that his original brief complied with the word limits.
COA affirms denial of shooter’s request to proceed pro se
The Court of Appeals affirmed Monday the decision not to let a Vanderburgh County man who shot up an Evansville rescue mission to proceed pro se, finding his history of mental illness justified the trial court's requirement that he proceed with counsel.
COA orders withdrawal of guilty plea made without counsel
The Franklin Circuit Court must withdraw a first-time felon’s pleas to two drug counts after erroneously finding the man knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently waived his right to counsel, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.
Fogle seeks $57 million in damages in D.C. filing
Former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle is continuing his legal fight against his 2015 child pornography convictions, this time filing a complaint in a Washington, D.C., district court alleging judicial fraud and seeking $57 million in damages. The filing is the latest in a series of pro se jailhouse filings by Fogle that sometimes have incorporated sovereign citizen-styled pleadings.
Facebook defamation judgment may set precedent, Indiana lawyers say
Southern Indiana attorneys who won defamation damages over a defamatory Facebook post say the court’s monetary award appears to set a precedent as the first reported judgment of its kind in the nation.
ADA complaint against IPS will continue
A federal lawsuit alleging Indianapolis Public Schools failed to accommodate a former employee’s disability will proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana after a judge partially denied IPS’ motion to dismiss.