Supreme Court Innovation Initiative adds Civil Litigation Taskforce
The Indiana Supreme Court’s Innovation Initiative is expanding, with the court creating a third working group to address issues surrounding civil litigation.
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Social media crackdown continues after siege of US Capitol
Twitter suspended more than 70,000 accounts associated with the far right QAnon conspiracy and Facebook is removing posts and content fraudulently claiming that the U.S. election was stolen as social media companies scramble to rein in harmful activity ahead of the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20.
Supreme Court launches pretrial diversion pilot program
A pretrial pilot program aimed at preserving judicial resources has been launched in four Indiana counties. The pilot will allow prosecutors to offer pretrial diversion to defendants charged with a variety of low-level offenses.
Courts not seeking more funds in 2021
Given the economic toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on Indiana’s budget, the Indiana Supreme Court is not requesting additional funding in the next biennial budget that will be drafted during the 2021 Legislative session. Instead, the court is asking the General Assembly to keep funding steady and has reverted funds to the state through pandemic-related savings.
CJ Roberts’ year-end report highlights judiciary’s accomplishments despite COVID
At the end of a year full of unprecedented challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Chief Justice John G. Roberts shared his appreciation for the unsung heroes in the judicial branch in his annual year-end report.
Lawsuit alleges Purdue breached contract in Peru projects
Siblings who contacted Purdue University about helping to lower the alpaca mortality rate in their native Peru are now suing, claiming the West Lafayette school has garnered millions of dollars from additional projects they helped establish but is refusing to pay them for their work.
February bar to be remote, last to include Indiana essay questions
Indiana will again be administering its bar exam remotely in February but, unlike the test given during the summer, this time the exam will be two-days and applicants will not be allowed to consult any outside materials.
CJ Rush: Pandemic changed judiciary, but courts kept working
Speaking with reporters via Zoom on Thursday, Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush acknowledged that despite efforts to keep courts operating remotely as much as possible, judges will face the difficult task in 2021 of working through COVID-created backlogs and getting their dockets back on schedule.
Indiana among 10 states suing Google for ‘anti-competitive’ online ad sales
Indiana is among 10 states that on Wednesday brought a lawsuit against Google, accusing the search giant of “anti-competitive conduct” in the online advertising industry, including a deal to manipulate sales with rival Facebook.
For in-house counsel, sudden changes that came in 2020 will have lasting impact
Remote working is just one of the many ways the public health emergency upended most plans and expectations for 2020. Corporate attorneys are connecting with their offices through the internet and relying on cellphones and videoconferencing to reach colleagues and clients. The type of work that in-house lawyers are doing also has changed.
Start Page: Apple M1 plus Big Sur equal big changes for computers
Apple recently updated its operating systems for Mac and iOS (iPhone and iPad). Apple also announced a new line of computers built with its own processors. While this development is largely under the hood, these new chips represent some new potential for computing.
Allen Superior Court halts jury trials until out of COVID-19 ‘red’ status
The Allen Superior Court is halting jury trials until at least Jan. 11 due to the ongoing surge in COVID-19 infections in the community, the court announced Tuesday.
In-house legal departments expect pandemic-induced changes to continue
Chief legal officers across the country say COVID-19 has left their corporate legal departments with less money and more work, according to the results of an Altman Weil survey conducted in September and October.
Justices hand down ‘more aggressive’ guidance on court COVID operations amid outbreaks
Court-related outbreaks of the novel coronavirus mean more aggressive approaches are needed for Indiana’s trial courts when it comes to in-person operations during the pandemic, according to a new order from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Justices to hear oil company’s appeal of denied insurance ransomware claim
The Indiana Supreme Court has agreed to hear an oil company’s appeal of a ruling against its claim for insurance coverage after it paid a ransom to hackers to regain control of its computer systems.
LSAT staying remote; Indiana Bar Exam still deciding
Citing the “continuing uncertainty and disruption of the COVID-19 emergency,” the Law School Admission Council has announced that all the remaining LSAT exams will be delivered remotely instead of in-person through April 2021.
Justice Department files landmark antitrust case against Google
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging Google has been abusing its dominance in online search to stifle competition and harm consumers. Attorneys general from 11 states, including Indiana, are plaintiffs in the case.
Start Page: IPad OS update gives you permission to Scribble
For a long time, I’ve wanted a legal pad app for my iPad that could reliably turn my handwriting into text. The iPad and Apple Pencil should do this well, but there was too much friction in getting the text to be recognized and usable. That’s all changed with the latest iPad OS update. Apple gives users Scribble — the ability to hand-write in any field on the iPad and the iPad will turn handwriting into text, almost instantly. This is a serious tool.
Google, Oracle meet in SCOTUS copyright clash at Supreme Court
Tech giants Google and Oracle are clashing at the United States Supreme Court in a copyright dispute that’s worth billions and important to the future of software development.
Rush now negative for COVID-19, Supreme Court says
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush has tested negative for COVID-19, the Indiana Supreme Court said in a statement Tuesday, a little more than three weeks after she disclosed she had tested positive for the disease.