Justices: Amended statute retroactively applies in eminent domain action
Indiana Supreme Court justices have determined that an amended statute dealing with ownership transfer in instances of eminent domain may be applied retroactively.
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School district sues Indiana over building transfer for $1
West Lafayette Community School Corp. is suing the state to protect a vacant elementary school building from being sold or leased to a charter school for $1. Charter schools can lease or buy the building for $1 if a school building is unused for two years. But the Department of Education must know beforehand, according to a 2011 law.
Bipartisan state AGs plan Facebook, Google antitrust probes
New York Attorney General Letitia James said a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general is investigating Facebook for alleged antitrust issues, and published reports indicate a separate investigation will target tech giant Google.
Study committee begins summer review of criminal justice reform initiatives
As criminal justice reform efforts continue across the state, members of the Indiana General Assembly are meeting this summer to discuss issues related to pre-trial release, indigency and sentencing, among others.
Indiana just days away from legalized sports betting
Sports betting is days away from becoming legal in Indiana and the state’s casinos are lining up to start collecting wagers. Indiana will become the 12th state — and the first in the midst of major Midwest markets — with sports betting when a new state law takes effect Sunday.
Ban on Indiana abortion parental notification law upheld
A federal appeals court has upheld an injunction blocking a 2017 Indiana law that would have required parental notification for mature minors seeking an abortion. One member of the three-judge panel dissented, however, and would have allowed the law to take effect.
Director hired to oversee administrative law judges
Matthew A. Brown, deputy director of operations at the State Personnel Department, has been selected to serve as the first director of the new Office of Administrative Law Proceedings. He will start in his new role Sept. 1.
South Bend abortion clinic can open, but only as ‘provisionally licensed’
A preliminary injunction issued to allow the doors of a South Bend abortion clinic to open has been affirmed by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, but the appellate court narrowed the injunction and struck a compromise between the parties’ dueling views of Indiana’s licensing system.
Long partisan gerrymandering fight ends, but struggle continues
For a team of Indiana lawyers who successfully litigated a case contesting partisan gerrymandering in Michigan, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision was a disappointment that likely will vacate the judgment in their favor. Legal observers say the issue now will be fought in statehouses across the country.
Fire department suspends Indianapolis lawmaker facing charges
The Indianapolis Fire Department has suspended a state legislator who was arrested for drunken driving. The department said Friday that Democratic Rep. Dan Forestal has been suspended for 240 duty hours and remanded to an employee assistance program.
Blind Hoosiers claim Indiana failing to provide access to benefits programs
Claiming “systemic violations of the civil rights of blind Indiana residents,” two individuals and the National Federation of the Blind filed a complaint in federal court Tuesday against the directors of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and the Indiana Division of Family Resources. The plaintiffs assert the defendants failed to provide printed communications about government benefits in alternative formats, such as Braille, and instead directed the blind individuals to have sighted third parties read the materials to them.
Trump, Republican party sue over California tax return law
The Trump campaign and Republican Party sued California on Tuesday over a new law requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns to run in the state’s primary, legislation that was aimed at prying loose President Donald Trump’s returns.
Indiana casinos looking for jump on Midwest sports betting
Indiana casinos are racing ahead with preparations to launch legalized sports betting in early September, looking to seize an advantage over competitors in Chicago and other nearby large markets where such wagers aren’t yet allowed. A new state law approved this spring allows betting to start Sept. 1 on dozens of professional, collegiate and international sporting events.
Police: Indiana marijuana surge coming from other states
Some Indiana police officers are reporting that they’re seeing an increase in marijuana products, including pot-laced edibles and vaping devices, coming from states where marijuana has been legalized to one degree or another. State Police Sgt. Carey Huls said authorities are observing an increase of specialty marijuana products coming from states such as California or Colorado with established laws permitting their use
Indiana Legislature seeks to separate from AG in sexual harassment lawsuit
The Indiana House of Representatives and the Indiana Senate have filed separate motions in federal court to represent themselves in the sexual harassment lawsuit against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill Jr., claiming the state’s top lawyer cannot adequately defend their interests. Majority leaders of both the House and Senate announced late Monday afternoon they had hired outside counsel and are trying to intervene in the litigation brought by four women against Hill and the state of Indiana.
Lawsuit filed against unlicensed Porter County midwife
The state of Indiana is suing a Porter County midwife who says she is exempt from state licensing requirements to continue practicing midwifery. A judge, meanwhile, has ordered the midwife to stop delivering babies and attending to expectant mothers.
Expensive renovations lead to West Virginia impeachment, political feud
A taste for blue suede sofas, inlaid wooden floor maps and glass countertops has led to the retirement of two West Virginia Supreme Court justices and the impeachment of three others. It also has created a political firestorm, as Democrats accuse the Republican-led Legislature of using the impeachments to try to take control of the court, a separate branch of government.
Landis, longtime head of Public Defender Council, to retire in July
Despite working on Indiana public defense reforms for 41 years, there are still goals Larry Landis wishes he could have accomplished before his impending retirement from the Indiana Public Defender Council. In a perfect world, Landis said his career would have led to more judicial sentencing discretion, a greater focus on mental health treatment, and a justice system that values restoration over punishment.
State government confronts sexual harassment
With the rise of the #MeToo movement, organizations of all sizes, including state governments, have been forced to take a long look at themselves. After the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation this year to expand training and write a sexual harassment prevention policy for the legislature for the first time, the other two branches of state government are taking action.
Drug takeback events aim to reduce abuse of prescription medications
At the Take Back the Circle medication collection event Friday on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis, success could be measured in pounds. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill joined the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and Covanta Indianapolis to collect unused, unwanted or expired medications from passersby.