COA orders new hearing on $32K civil forfeiture
A Hancock County trial court must revisit the forfeiture of more than $32,000 related to a marijuana bust after the Indiana Court of Appeals found errors in various evidentiary rulings.
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Attorney-at-paw? Filter during Zoom hearing makes lawyer appear as cat
A West Texas judge has a word of caution to those attending court hearings via Zoom: Always check for filters before logging on. The advice came after a Texas lawyer had difficulty removing the filter during the hearing, assuring the judge, “I’m here live. I’m not a cat.”
Gearing up: Automated driving technology experts offer advice, anticipation for future
As new vehicle models are released each year, automated driving technologies become increasingly available to consumers. Experts say attorneys will need to familiarize themselves with the evolving technology to be equipped for future cases and how it may fundamentally change their practices.
Remote advantage: Business attorneys have discovered some unexpected benefits to virtual hearings
While the jury is still out on how increased use of remote technology will impact litigation in the future, business lawyers have seen a decrease in expenses and an increase in efficiency that is likely to benefit clients and productivity.
Mizzell: You can’t ignore texts and chat messages in e-discovery
Texts and chat messages are informal and fragmented forms of communication that can be hard to address in both written discovery and the technical collection of documents. So here are a few suggestions to help attorneys who are just starting to grapple with this developing area of electronic discovery.
Trimble: New Year’s resolutions after a tumultuous 2020
Indianapolis lawyer John Trimble exhorts members of the legal profession to shake off the malaise and resolve to charge ahead into 2021 with the renewed vigor to get through the mountain of challenges and to do what we can to make things better.
Virtual Indiana State of State speech amid protest threat
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s annual State of the State address will be a virtual event Tuesday night rather than delivered before the typical joint session of the General Assembly.
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.
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.
Despite tech, court reporters say they’re here to stay
Even as digital recording is grows, charged sentiment surrounds the use of artificial intelligence in court reporting, industry experts say. According to some, there’s a middle ground to be found: embracing technology to increase efficiency while also relying on humans for nuance.
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.