Attorneys must be mindful of how they discard digital technology
Just as an attorney would shred outdated paper documents, contacts stored in a cellphone and files on a hard drive must be kept private when the old devices are discarded.
Technology
Articles
Cloud storage foreshadows upgraded standards, security for small firms
Advances in technology have led the world into an era of easy accessibility, something that attorney Bryan Stoffel is grateful for. His solo practice is one of many that rely heavily on the cloud for everyday functions, such as billing, law practice management and filing client paperwork.
Rules amendments making attorney cell numbers public not approved
The Indiana Supreme Court has approved a series of amendments to multiple state rules, but one that did not make the cut was an amendment that would have required attorneys to include their cellphone numbers on appearance filings.
Snapchat images are probative evidence, COA rules
The ability to take a screenshot and save images on Snapchat is probative evidence in charging a man with child pornography, the Indiana Court of appeals ruled in affirming a Henry County man’s conviction Tuesday.
Indiana online sales tax can take effect after SCOTUS ruling
By putting an end to the bright line rule allowing the collection of sales tax only from companies with a physical presence in a state, the United States Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, et al. created a new task for states: setting a threshold that online retailers must meet before a sales tax can be imposed. In Indiana, that task is already complete thanks to a 2017 law intentionally passed to spur SCOTUS action.
Public gets access to more trial court case documents Aug.1
Increased public access to court records will begin August 1, the Indiana Supreme Court said in an order Friday, after hearing recommendations from an advisory task force on remote access to and privacy of electronic court records.
Start Page: Don’t take the click-bait, watch out for phishing attacks
Here are some reminders to help you avoid taking the bait and getting hooked by an email phishing attempt.
7th Circuit reinstates pain clinic’s claim against billing provider
A chronic pain clinic that lost more than a year’s worth of insurance claims through its billing software had its potentially multi-million-dollar breach of contract claim against the provider reinstated Wednesday by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Supreme Court to take up iPhone app lawsuit
The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether the purchasers of iPhone apps can sue Apple over allegations it has an illegal monopoly on the sale of the apps. The court said Monday it will take a case from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in January that the purchasers of iPhone apps could sue Apple.
Judge: Flashing GIF sent to provoke seizure may be battery
An epileptic seizure suffered by a journalist that was caused by a flashing strobe-like animated GIF sent on Twitter with the message “You deserve a seizure for your posts” may constitute battery, a federal judge in Texas ruled.
E-filing for Jay County now available, mandatory August 6
Electronic filing is now available in more than 40 civil and criminal case types in the Jay Circuit and Superior courts. By August 6, E-filing will be mandatory for attorneys in these courts for all subsequent and initial filings in case types that allow it.
Changing times: Fewer call for laws on the books
With the Indiana Code accessible and searchable online, fewer and fewer volumes of the printed versions are being produced each year, and DVDs once supplied to county clerks around the state to update their statute records have gone the way of the floppy disc.
New law allows for electronic signing of wills, trusts, powers of attorney
Though the law has a reputation for being resistant to change, new legislation that will take effect this summer is designed to give estate planning attorneys the opportunity to embrace technology when advising clients about probate documents while allowing more traditional lawyers to conduct business as usual.
NDLS alum’s ‘Ironclad’ aims to help lawyers focus on lawyering
Attorney-turned-technology-entrepreneur Jason Boehmig knew from his time working as a law firm associate that creating software for the legal profession would be complicated. The legal profession had not adopted technology like other industries such as sales, finance, and human resources, but Boehmig believed law firms and legal departments would inevitably start incorporating software and hardware specifically made to help attorneys do their jobs.
Court order to access smartphone stirs 5th amendment concerns
When does an action become testimonial? What role do technological advances play in Fifth Amendment analyses? When can law enforcement compel people to unlock their cellphones without infringing on constitutional rights? The Indiana Court of Appeals is grappling with those questions as it considers a Fifth Amendment case of first impression.
Lake County preparing for switch to Odyssey this month
Lake County will become the 62nd of Indiana’s 92 counties to adopt the online Odyssey case management system when it makes the transition on May 21.
Confinement conviction reversed; robbery, burglary counts stand
Burglary and robbery convictions against a man convicted in a Marion County break-in will stand, but related criminal confinement convictions must be vacated because the confinement was “part and parcel” of the underlying robbery, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
Lake County courts to switch to online filing system in May
Court officials in northwestern Indiana’s Lake County plan to switch next month to an online filing system that’s already used by nearly three-quarters of Indiana’s counties.
Questions about PACER fees swirling in court disputes
Just about any discussion of the federal judiciary’s online document system, PACER, will quickly turn to a questioning of the fees charged for accessing filings and why the information is not available for free. A recent ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia provided insight into the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system’s financial health and raised more questions.
Mueller examining Cambridge Analytica, Trump campaign ties
Special counsel Robert Mueller is scrutinizing the connections between President Donald Trump’s campaign and the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica, which has come under fierce criticism over reports that it swiped the data of more than 50 million Facebook users to sway elections.