Public defender accused of harassing ex-girlfriend suspended
A northern Indiana public defender accused of repeatedly harassing his ex-girlfriend has been suspended from the practice of law in Indiana for at least one year.
Public defenders
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Trial court had no statutory authority to impose second public defender fee
The Marion Superior Court abused its discretion in imposing a second supplemental public defender fee on an indigent litigant because it lacked statutory authority to impose the fee, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
7th Circuit rejects collateral attack
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a man’s petition for collateral relief based on ineffective assistance of counsel because the man failed to allege facts that proved his public defender did not provide proper counsel.
‘Dismayed’ by trial court, COA orders resentencing
An Indianapolis judge who sentenced a defendant to jail without permitting him to speak on his own behalf disregarded state law and violated the defendant’s rights, a panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals held in a stern ruling.
Petition to Supreme Court seeks statewide public defender system
Advocates for reforming Indiana’s patchwork approach to public defense for indigent Hoosiers announced they have petitioned the Indiana Supreme Court for a statewide system to remedy what they describe as an unfair, unequal and underfunded system.<
Court abused discretion in letting public defender withdraw appearance
An attorney seeking a motion to withdraw appearance had to prove there was justification for his withdrawal and provide sufficient notice to the party he represented before the motion could be granted, the Indiana Court of Appeals found Thursday.
Prosecutors balk at curbing eyewitness identifications
The Indiana Public Defender Council touts the proposed rule as helping to prevent wrongful convictions.
New report critical of Indiana’s indigent defense
The report found Indiana is failing to equally provide constitutionally mandated effective counsel to indigent people accused of felony, misdemeanor and juvenile offenses.
Report: Indiana fails to provide consistent indigent defense
Indiana is failing to equally provide constitutionally guaranteed effective counsel to indigent people accused of misdemeanor, felony and juvenile offenses, according to a report released Monday. In some counties, poor people facing criminal charges are encouraged to negotiate directly with prosecutors before being appointed counsel.
Ex-prosecutor becomes Clark County chief public defender
After nearly 14 years with the Floyd County Prosecutor's Office, Abraham Navarro has jumped over to Clark County to serve as chief public defender.
COA vacates public defender, probation fees for indigent man
The Indiana Court of Appeals has vacated an order for a man convicted of public intoxication and found to be indigent to pay more than $600 in public defender and probation fees.
Groups cite inadequate funds to defend death row inmate
Five legal groups are supporting a Missouri death row inmate, whose execution was halted hours before it was to be carried out in 2014, saying that he can't receive an adequate defense with the money allocated.
Conour defender asks off case, cites ‘near adversarial relationship’
A federal public defender representing former attorney William Conour has asked the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to remove her “due to the near adversarial relationship now existing between attorney and client.”
Maryland public defender arrested for DUI, assault on cop
A public defender in Annapolis, Maryland has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and kneeing an arresting officer in the groin.
High-profile cases deplete county’s public defender fund
Officials are blaming an increase in drug-related activity and crime spilling over from Indianapolis for draining a suburban county's $500,000 public defender fund.
COA: Man should have met with state public defender’s office
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the grant of the state’s motion for summary denial of man’s request for post-conviction relief because his case was not forwarded to the State Public Defender’s Office.
Suit filed against Allen County over public defender system
A second county in Indiana is facing a federal lawsuit claiming that its public defender system violates indigent defendants' rights to adequate legal defense.
Johnson County judges, public defenders sued for ‘systemic’ problems
People who’ve been arrested in Johnson County are taking the unusual step of filing a class-action lawsuit against the county, judges and public defenders there, claiming they have not been represented by an underfunded and overburdened public defender system.
Public defender charged with sex offenses involving inmates
An Indianapolis attorney and ex-judge working as a Shelby County public defender has been charged with three counts of sexual misconduct and one count of official misconduct after he was accused of inappropriately touching inmates at the Shelbyville jail. Authorities said one instance was recorded on video.
Public defender’s brief stricken, COA orders ‘competent counsel’ appointed
The Indiana Court of Appeals reiterated Wednesday for at least the fourth time in seven years to a public defender that he cannot use the “manifestly unreasonable” argument to challenge a client’s voluntary manslaughter sentence.