Articles

Judge rules for PETA in suit against embattled Charlestown zoo

A federal judge has ruled that an embattled private Charlestown zoo harmed and harassed big cats in violation of the Endangered Species Act, setting the stage for the transfer of its animals to “a reputable sanctuary.” The ruling is a victory for an animal-rights group in one of several legal actions against the zoo owner who appeared in the Netflix series “Tiger King.”

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Southern District again suspends jury trials due to COVID-19

Jury trials in all divisions of the Southern District of Indiana have once again been suspended, Chief Judge Jane E. Magnus-Stinson announced Wednesday. The decision stems from the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the state and within the district following a brief resumption of jury trials.

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Mom wins federal ruling against Carmel schools in son’s special education case

A Carmel mother is celebrating a federal court ruling that concluding that the public school district had denied her son a free and appropriate education since January 2018 and May 2018, in part by failing to ensure he received his special education and related services. The family attorney says the case sets precedent for parents whose special-needs children rely on individual education plans.

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7th Circuit temporarily stays federal execution set for next week

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily stayed an execution scheduled for next week after finding that two issues raised by a Terre Haute inmate were “worthy of further exploration.” Wesley Ira Purkey’s execution was scheduled for July 15, but now it will be stayed “pending the completion of proceedings in the Seventh Circuit.”

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Federal court blocks Indiana panhandling law

In an order that noted Americans exercising their First Amendment rights against racial inequality and quoting Frederick Douglass on the sacred right of free speech, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday preventing Indiana’s new panhandling law from taking effect Wednesday.

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