Northern Indiana District Court Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry has retired, ending a career that included six years as DeKalb County prosecutor and 15-plus years on the federal bench. Cherry, who began his tenure as magistrate judge on Oct. 1, 2003, retired Dec. 31, 2018.
A Canadian accused in an Indiana federal court of a “scalping” scheme to fraudulently drive up the price of a penny stock while selling off his own shares for a profit of almost $1 million must answer questions in a U.S. deposition before the Securities and Exchange Commission, a judge has ruled. The SEC accuses Michael Skerry of New Westminster, British Columbia, of executing the scheme, in which regulators allege he profited by about $950,000.
Federal courts are operating on limited funds during the partial shutdown of the federal government and are working to continue sustaining paid operations through Jan. 18, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
With the start of the 116th Congress, Indiana’s two remaining federal judicial nominees have stalled and the vacancies in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana continue. However, Indiana’s senior senator expressed confidence they will come back to Capitol Hill.
Scotty’s Brewhouse founder Scott M. Wise, along with Indianapolis-based Scotty’s Holdings LLC and two Arizona-based parties, are facing a lawsuit from a former business partner of Wise’s who claims he was defrauded out of his $300,000 investment in the restaurant chain.
A Merrillville lawyer who asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana to reconsider discipline imposed on him drew a harsh reply from the court, which said his conduct “lends further support to … concerns about his competence as a lawyer.” The district court denied John H. Davis' motion to reconsider his removal from the court's Roll of Attorneys last week.
The Senate passed a sweeping criminal justice bill Tuesday that addresses concerns that the nation’s war on drugs had led to the imprisonment of too many Americans for nonviolent crimes without adequately preparing them for their return to society.
Federal authorities are still searching for a former South Bend attorney who faces several charges of mail fraud stemming from his alleged involvement in an investment scheme that exploited elderly victims.
The former treasurer of a Valparaiso police organization has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for stealing nearly $190,000. Lawrence LaFlower told a federal judge Monday that “everything revolved around gambling,” which is why he began embezzling money from Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 165 in Valparaiso.
The sister of a man Elkhart police killed two years ago contends in a new lawsuit that department leaders obstructed an independent investigation of the shooting.
A federal jury has convicted a northwestern Indiana scrap-metal dealer of interstate transportation of stolen goods for allegedly demolishing a historic railroad bridge and selling the metal. Prosecutors said Kenneth Morrison and a work crew cut up the unused Monon Bridge that spanned the Grand Calumet River near downtown Hammond and sold it to Illinois scrapyards for $18,000. He also allegedly sold parts to an East Chicago scrap dealer.
A federal prisoner has successfully argued for his lost credit time to be restored after the Indiana Northern District Court granted his habeas petition, finding the man was entitled to notice of the factual allegations of a new charge against him at least 24 hours before a hearing, but did not receive it.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana last week aided a group of more than 30 East Allen County high school students when it filed a lawsuit against the school corporation, claiming it had imposed “undue, unequal burdens” an LGBTQ+ organization.
Federal prosecutors say 27 carpenters have been ordered to repay more than $500,000 to their union after pleading guilty to health care theft.
Purdue University has been hit with another lawsuit over expelling students following investigations into allegations of sexual assaults, but in this instance, the students banished from the school were the accusers.
Appearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Tuesday, Damon Leichty said he was a proud Hoosier who learned much from the federal judge he clerked for and has been nominated to replace – Northern Indiana District Court Senior Judge Robert Miller, Jr. Leichty is the last federal judicial nominee to a vacancy in an Indiana court to appear before the judiciary committee.
A federal judge has denied a northwestern Indiana scrap metal dealer’s request to dismiss charges for allegedly demolishing a historic Hammond railroad bridge and selling the metal for $18,000. Kenneth Morrison argued the grand jury didn’t get an accurate picture of whether the city of Hammond or the railroad company owned the Monon Bridge, but Judge Philip Simon said prosecutors only have to prove Morrison had no claim to the scrap metal.
A Tippecanoe County anti-abortion group’s free speech lawsuit against the local public transportation company will continue after a district court judge denied Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation’s motion for judgment on the pleadings.
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Indiana is seeking public comment concerning proposed changes to the court’s local rules. The proposed changes to Rule B-4004-2, now known as Discharge in Chapter 13 Cases, would make the rule applicable to both Chapter 12 and 13 cases.
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned summary judgment for a former Lake County sheriff sued after a local woman alleged a sheriff’s deputy sexually assaulted her while in her home, with the court finding the woman’s respondeat superior claim against the sheriff can proceed.