Knox County judges granted emergency relief
The Indiana Supreme Court is enabling Knox County courts to call upon senior judges and local judges pro tempore to fill the vacancy created by the sudden death of Judge Ryan Johanningsmeier.
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Over Indiana’s opposition, pace accelerated for no-excuse absentee balloting case
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has granted a motion to expedite the appeal of the challenge to the state’s restrictions on absentee balloting, rejecting Indiana’s request to pump the brakes.
Tax Court partially reverses tax board’s dismissal of HOAs’ common area claims
A final decision by the Indiana Board of Tax Review that dismissed claims from three homeowners associations was partially reversed by the Indiana Tax Court in a Monday decision.
Indiana, other states seeking SCOTUS amici status in COVID-19 chemical abortion case
The office of Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is asking the United States Supreme Court for permission to intervene in abortion litigation seeking to uphold chemical abortion procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IndyBar: Bosma’s Retirement from the Indiana General Assembly Significant for Local Government Issues
Many House members on both sides of the aisle are familiar with local government issues. But Brian Bosma’s exit from lawmaking is significant in terms of the loss of institutional knowledge and history of those issues from the General Assembly’s leadership.
Indiana forecasts 10-fold jump for mail-in voting
Indiana election officials are bracing for perhaps 10 times more mail-in ballots for this fall’s election than four years ago. The forecast comes as litigation over efforts to expand mail-in voting continue to play out in federal court.
Holcomb extends Stage 4.5 of Indiana’s recovery plan through Sept. 25
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday said he would issue an executive order to keep the state in Stage 4.5 of its pandemic recovery plan through Sept. 25.
Court ruling against Indiana no-excuse absentee voting appealed
A federal appeals court is being asked to take an expedited appeal of a ruling against no-excuse absentee voting in Indiana’s Nov. 3 general election, or to enter an immediate injunction that would permit all Hoosiers to vote by mail due to the pandemic.
Former IU athletic director Glass joining Taft law firm
Former Indiana University Director of Athletics Fred Glass plans to resume his law career in October, joining the Indianapolis office of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP as a partner.
NY AG probes if Trump pumped up value of estate, assets
New York’s attorney general asked a court Monday to compel some of President Donald Trump’s business associates, including his son, Eric, to testify and turn over documents as part of her investigation into whether the president’s company lied about the value of its assets in order to get loans or tax benefits.
Indiana’s limits on absentee balloting upheld by federal court
An attempt to allow all eligible Hoosiers to vote by mail in the November general election has been thwarted by a federal judge who ruled the limits on absentee balloting do not deny state residents their fundamental right to vote.
Federal rulings block Indiana voter roll purge, absentee ballot signature match law
Finding Indiana’s process for matching signatures on absentee ballots is unconstitutional, a federal judge has permanently enjoined the Secretary of State and other election officials from rejecting any mail-in ballot on the basis of a signature mismatch without providing adequate notice to the voter.
More than 30,000 Hoosiers apply for state rental assistance
More than 30,000 Hoosiers who have fallen behind on rent because of the COVID-19 pandemic have applied for financial assistance from the state — nearly triple the amount Indiana officials originally expected.
Indiana expects to begin offering $300 unemployment bonuses next month
Indiana has applied for the federal government’s Lost Wages Assistance program and hopes to begin delivering the $300 supplemental weekly payments to most people receiving unemployment benefits in the next month or so.
COA narrows claims against Bayer in Essure birth control defect case
A panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals narrowed the claims of women who sued pharmaceutical giant Bayer claiming alleged defects in the permanent birth control device Essure. The ruling Wednesday came after the Indiana Supreme Court remanded the case for the appeals court to address the viability of plaintiffs’ claims.
Unexpected lessons in getting back to class
This back-to-school season is like no other. What was expected in March to be a temporary closure due to COVID-19 has spilled into August, leaving teachers, administrators, students and parents at a loss for what to expect.
States look to ‘salary history bans’ to increase pay equity
Using what’s known as “salary history bans,” governments at the state and local level are limiting employers’ ability to consider a candidate’s previous wages when making an employment decision. The breadth of these bans varies by jurisdiction, but the concept remains the same: under a salary history ban, an employer cannot explicitly ask a prospective employee what they earned in a previous job.
Policing the police: Indiana Black Legislative Caucus counting on public advocacy to push policy changes
Following the growing awareness of police brutality across the country, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is leading the call for policing reform with the group’s chair believing if the General Assembly does not act during the 2021 session, the opportunity for meaningful change will have been lost.
Slew of events to mark passage of 19th Amendment
Hoosiers will be able to learn about the suffrage movement in Indiana through an array of events planned to celebrate and commemorate the 100-year anniversary of women’s right to vote.
IU McKinney professors contribute to assessment of U.S. response to COVID-19
United States policy response to COVID-19 has been dangerously lacking, according to a recent report authored partially by two Indianapolis law professors. The new report recommends steps to safeguard health as well as civil and human rights.