Indiana Northern District judge recuses herself from Portage mayor’s bribery retrial
A federal judge has recused herself from the bribery case of a former northwestern Indiana mayor only days after setting a date for his retrial in that case.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
Articles
7th Circuit affirms consecutive federal, state sentences for South Bend crimes
How should federal judges decide whether sentences in federal prosecutions should run consecutively to or concurrently with sentences in unrelated state prosecutions? The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals tackled that question in a Monday decision, affirming a man’s decades-long sentence for his part in a South Bend kidnapping.
Indiana woman gets 6½ years for financing terrorism
An Indiana woman who pleaded guilty to providing financial support to the Islamic State group has been sentenced to 6½ years in prison, the Justice Department said Monday.
Ex-Portage mayor faces retrial on bribery charge
A former northwestern Indiana mayor is facing a December retrial on a federal charge alleging that he solicited a bribe from two local businessmen.
Gang member who says he beat up R. Kelly sentenced in deaths
A convicted gang member who said he beat up jailed R&B singer R. Kelly in a Chicago cell in August has been sentenced by an Indiana court to life in prison for a racketeering conviction that involved two 1999 murders.
Web Exclusive: Jury social media cautions revamped
Twenty years ago, most people learned about major court cases and trials from newspapers or local television stations. But with myriad online distribution channels and social media available at virtually everyone’s fingertips, staying up to date with the latest news has become and more accessible than ever.
Retired Magistrate Judge Cherry to serve Southern District as criminal duty magistrate
A retired magistrate judge of Indiana’s Northern District Court has been temporarily assigned to provide targeted assistance in the Indianapolis division of the Southern District Court, Chief Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson announced Thursday.
Protester who lost eye due to tear gas sues Fort Wayne, police for excessive force
A Fort Wayne man who lost his eye during a Black Lives Matter protest after the death of George Floyd is now suing the city and local police department for excessive force and violation of his First Amendment rights.
Former union head sentenced for ordering assault on workers
A former Indiana union leader was sentenced Wednesday to 42 months in prison for his role in an assault on a group of nonunion ironworkers at a church.
Online admission ceremony celebrates new lawyers, honors Justice Ginsburg
The Indiana Supreme Court hosted the Fall 2020 Bar Admission Ceremony by videoconference Monday in keeping with safeguards of hosting once events online amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the speakers encouraged new Indiana lawyers to look to the example of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Fall 2020 Indiana bar admission ceremony to be held virtually
For the second time this year, new Indiana attorneys will be taking their oaths via videoconference during the Fall 2020 Bar Admission Ceremony, the Indiana Supreme Court has announced.
Justices accept Northern District’s negligence certified question
The Indiana Supreme Court has accepted a certified question on the issue negligence, granting a request to resolve a jurisdictional split within the Northern Indiana District Court over whether store managers may be liable in slip-and-fall cases.
Serve and protect: Shooting of federal judge’s family sparks safety reform recommendations
After the shooting of a district judge’s son and husband at her home in New Jersey, Hoosier federal jurists say they live daily with the reality of threats to their safety. The judicial Conference has adopted a series of recommendations aimed at safeguarding the federal bench.
Indiana teachers hit by pellets in training drill sue police
A group of teachers at a northern Indiana elementary school who were struck and injured last year by plastic pellets during an active shooter training drill are suing local police, accusing them of using excessive force during what the lawsuit calls the “Execution Style Drill.”
Hammerle on… Court humor
Even though court appearances are rare these days, let me reflect on some funny moments that I treasure.
Pokagon tribe to be featured at domestic violence representation training
Free training for lawyers on modest means and pro bono representation of domestic violence victims will be available next month, sponsored by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.
Judicial Conference recommends safety reforms after killing of judge’s son
One month after the shooting death of the son of a New Jersey judge, the governing body of the United States federal courts is advocating reforms to increase protection for members of the federal judiciary.
Northern District certifies negligence question to Indiana Supreme Court
An internal split within the Indiana Northern District Court over whether store managers may be held liable in certain negligence cases has prompted a federal judge to ask the Indiana Supreme Court for guidance.
Ex-Lake County Sheriff Buncich resentenced for bribery, fraud
A former northwestern Indiana sheriff has been resentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for accepting bribes from towing businesses. The sentence is about three years less than long-serving former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich received after he was convicted in a 2017 public corruption case.
National bankruptcy filings fall despite COVID-19 impact
Personal and business bankruptcy filings posted a decline in the year ending June 30, despite a sharp rise in national unemployment stemming from the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.