Ceremony celebrates new Southern District magistrate
A formal investiture ceremony celebrating U.S. Magistrate Judge Crystal Wildeman’s appointment was held last week in Evansville.
Southern District
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Nomination to federal appellate court puts Pryor on brink of history
On May 25, Southern District of Indiana Magistrate Judge Doris Pryor was tapped by the Biden administration to fill the upcoming vacancy on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. If confirmed, Pryor would be the first Hoosier of color to serve on the federal appeals bench.
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Courthouse curriculum: New learning center will tell the story of Southern Indiana District Court
To help explain the significance of what school children and adults see, a project is underway to create a space within the Southern Indiana District Court building that will teach about the third branch of government. The Federal Court Learning Center will showcase some of the artifacts from the Southern Indiana District as well as feature informational displays and interactive exhibits. Visitors will learn how the federal judiciary works, how it is different from the state courts and the roles citizens play in the judicial process.
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Female judges encourage women to seek out the bench, become ‘seed planters’
Women who aspire to become judges need mentors and role models to help show the way. One longtime Indiana appellate judge shared the value of such encouragement that speaks to the experience of many female jurists: “She saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. That caused me to apply.”
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Making history: Pratt first African American chief judge of Southern District
New Southern District of Indiana Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt Pratt is focused on steps to reopen courthouses to the public as the country hopes to be quelling the COVID-19 virus and advocating in Congress for a new judgeship to help handle the court’s excessive caseload.
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Articles
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana to host 25th Black History Month event
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will be hosting its 25th annual Black History Month event next month.
Corydon woman’s amended civil rights complaint dismissed with prejudice in federal court
A Black Corydon woman’s amended civil rights complaint failed to present sufficient claims against several town defendants and Harrison County commissioners, a federal judge ruled in dismissing the lawsuit with prejudice.
Indianapolis man sentenced to federal prison for identity theft, theft of COVID-19 unemployment benefits
An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and other offenses related to COVID unemployment fraud.
History symposium highlights Marion Co. jail overcrowding court case, changes
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana hosted its annual Court History Symposium on Friday, with two panels looking at a famous Marion County Jail overcrowding court case that took 35 years to resolve.
Federal judge dismisses Satanic Temple’s RFRA challenge to abortion law
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit from the Satanic Temple, which sued state and local officials in an attempt to provide mail-order abortion drugs to its members who became pregnant.
Hispanic Heritage Month CLE looks at immigration experience
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana hosted a continuing legal education event Friday to learn more about the immigration experience.
Southern District denies dismissal motion in Anderson redistricting lawsuit
A federal judge has denied a motion to dismiss an electoral redistricting lawsuit that alleges Anderson’s city council districts violate constitutional and statutory rights.
Sen. Young reintroduces legislation to add more permanent district court judges
U.S. Sen. Todd Young has reintroduced legislation to address judicial shortages by increasing the number of federal district judges in the most “overworked” regions of the country, his office announced Tuesday.
ACLU of Indiana sues IN BMV commissioner, claims new state law discriminates based on national origin
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and the National Immigration Law Center have filed a lawsuit in federal court that challenges the constitutionality of a new state law, claiming it discriminates based on national origin.
Wildeman sworn in as magistrate judge in Southern District
Crystal Wildeman was sworn in as magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana at a private ceremony, the court announced Friday.
State asks 7th Circuit to vacate injunction on law banning gender transitions for minors
The state has filed an appellant brief with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and is requesting that the court vacate a district court injunction that preliminarily enjoined a law that would have banned gender transition procedures for Indiana minors.
Transgender woman’s sexual assault lawsuit against correctional officers dismissed as time barred
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit alleging correctional officers failed to protect a transgender woman from sexual assault in prison and that a correctional officer sexually assaulted her.
City, feds teaming up: Indianapolis, US Southern District planning partnership on guns
A partnership between the city of Indianapolis and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is still in its early stages but will ultimately be designed to address gun crimes throughout the Circle City.
Federal magistrate rules plaintiff in data breach case can’t proceed under pseudonym
A person who filed a putative class action lawsuit against their current employer for an alleged data breach must refile the complaint using their real name, a federal magistrate judge has ruled.
Indy officers indicted for Whitfield’s death secure stay of discovery in federal case
The two Indianapolis police officers who are facing criminal charges related to the death of Herman Whitfield III have secured a partial stay of the proceedings in a related federal civil case.
7th Circuit affirms meth conviction, sentence for man on home detention
A search that uncovered 388 grams of methamphetamine and led to a man’s conviction did not violate his Fourth Amendment rights because he waived them as part of his home detention, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
Notre Dame Law dean, Chapter 13 Trustee among bankruptcy fellows
Notre Dame Law School Dean Marcus Cole and John Hauber, Chapter 13 Trustee for the Indiana Southern District, will be among the 39 new fellows inducted into the American College of Bankruptcy in March 2023.
Maley: Proceeding under a pseudonym
The local federal courts regularly address procedural issues that recur from time to time. Most such decisions get little attention beyond the parties but are often informative for many federal practitioners. Whether and how to proceed under a pseudonym is one such example. Two informative opinions from the Southern District of Indiana provide excellent roadmaps.
Southern District offering free training session on representing domestic violence victims
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will host an in-person and virtual training session next month for lawyers interested in receiving training on modest means and pro bono representation of domestic violence victims.