College skirts health care law’s birth control rule
A northern Indiana college has won its long-running lawsuit seeking a religious exemption from paying for employees’ birth control under former President Barack Obama’s health care law.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
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Federal judge nominees face questions over juror race issue
At Wednesday’s U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing for the five nominees to the federal district bench, including the nominees for the Northern and Southern Indiana district courts, the table of potential judges was more crowded than the dais where the senators usually sit.
Ex-Merrillville councilman gets 15 months for bribery
A former Merrillville town councilman was sentenced to 15 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge, with the court acknowledging he had already forfeited $7,500 to the United States.
Brady, Hanlon to testify before judiciary committee
Two Indiana attorneys seeking appointment to the U.S. district courts for the Northern and Southern District of Indiana will be appearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Wednesday as candidates to fill current and future vacancies on the federal bench.
County inmates denied right to vote get certified as class
A federal judge in Fort Wayne recently certified a class of Allen County Jail inmates who were denied the right to vote in the November 2016 general election. The attorney representing the class said the case represents an opportunity to avoid similar future problems in other counties.
White ex-basketball coach’s reverse discrimination suit may proceed
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a former coach of a South Bend high school basketball powerhouse who claimed he was forced out because he was white may proceed with a discrimination suit against the school corporation.
Justices take certified question on coverage of ‘negligent’ insureds
The Indiana Supreme Court will provide clarification on two conflicting rulings related to insurance coverage for parties accused of acting negligently when a co-insured is accused of acting intentionally or criminally.
Fired black officer may expand lawsuit, judge rules
An officer who claims he was discriminated against at work and in his firing from the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office may expand his lawsuit to name former Sheriff Mark Hodges, a federal judge has ruled.
South Bend must pay ex-female officer $80K in retaliation case
A federal judge has ordered a city in Indiana to pay more than $80,000 to a former female police officer who alleged the department illegally retaliated against her for accusing a male supervisor of sexual harassment.
Ex-Hammond housing official pleads guilty to embezzlement
A former Hammond housing official has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $600,000 in federal housing assistance funding.
Top Lake County Sheriff’s official indicted for lying to FBI
A former top Lake County Sheriff’s Department official has been indicted for lying to the FBI during a public corruption investigation that led to the conviction of former Sheriff John Buncich.
7th Circuit nominees get bipartisan support in committee vote
With 21-to-0 vote, Judge Amy St. Eve and Michael Scudder, the nominees for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, were approved Thursday by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Their nominations now proceed to the Senate for a confirmation vote at date to be determined.
Prosecutor opposes Portage mayor’s bid to dismiss charges
A federal prosecutor says an indicted northwest Indiana mayor hasn’t proven his corruption charges should be dismissed because of how case-related emails were handled.
Indiana’s Brady, Hanlon tapped for federal judgeships
Two Valparaiso Law School graduates are included in the latest round of judicial nominations released Tuesday by the White House. Holly Brady of Fort Wayne and J.P. Hanlon of Indianapolis have been nominated for the federal bench in the northern and southern Indiana district courts, respectively.
Indiana woman wins $35 million verdict in pelvic mesh lawsuit
A northern Indiana jury returned a $35 million verdict March 8 for a woman injured by a transvaginal mesh implant in a trial that is believed to the seventh mesh lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon, Inc.
Budget boost increases compensation max for federal defenders
A federal funding boost that created increased hourly rates for federal public defenders has also caused an increase in compensation maximums for non-capital federal defenders.
Southern Indiana District honors pro bono attorneys
As an environmental attorney, Tom Barnard had not represented a prison inmate and had never had a case involving the Eighth Amendment but when the Southern Indiana District Court called, recruiting pro bono counsel to help with a settlement hearing, he volunteered.
Racial discrimination claim will proceed against Purdue coach
The Indiana Northern District Court has allowed a racial discrimination claim to continue against a Purdue University baseball coach after finding one of his player’s adequately alleged the coach treated him differently because of his Mexican heritage.
Funding boost enables raises for federal defenders, jurors
A nearly $200 million increase in the Fiscal Year 2018 budget is enabling the federal judiciary to increase compensation for jurors and indigent defense attorneys while also performing construction projects at three federal courthouses.
Despite ‘role of Grinch,’ 7th Circuit won’t stop Christmas show
An Elkhart high school’s traditional “Christmas Spectacular” production that was canceled by a northern Indiana federal court because of its overt religiosity, then passed muster when Christian elements no longer took a leading role in a revival, won the reluctant blessing of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.