U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

7th Circuit: Proper venue for Zimmer Biomet bribery trial is Mexico

March 21, 2022 | Marilyn Odendahl

Allegations that Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. engaged in a bribery scheme of Mexican government officials led to an “unusual twist” of Zimmer and the Mexican plaintiff each arguing against trying the case in their respective home courts, but the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the medical device manufacturer that under the forum non conveniens doctrine, the case should be dismissed from the Northern Indiana District Court.

US courts see drop in filings, display strength in ‘trying times’ in 2021

March 18, 2022 | IL Staff

Members of the United States judiciary in 2021 successfully endured a year fraught with challenges, according to a new report from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Judicial officers also saw significant drops in filings in 2021.

7th Circuit: Woman injured from tripping over curb can’t hold Speedway liable

March 16, 2022 | Katie Stancombe

A woman who injured herself after tripping over a curb at a Speedway convenience store did not convince the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals that the gas station was liable for her injuries.

District court erred in ‘distribution’ enhancement in child porn case, 7th Circuit rules

March 15, 2022 | Jordan Morey

A man convicted of transporting and possessing child pornography could have his sentence reduced after a federal appeals court determined his saving of the images in a cloud-based folder didn’t amount to “distribution.”

7th Circuit affirms rulings in ‘acrimonious’ dispute over property value assessment

March 3, 2022 | Katie Stancombe

The 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court’s various rulings in “acrimonious” litigation between an appraiser and a bank.

COA allows state to prosecute man after federal acquittal on related charge

February 23, 2022 | Jordan Morey

A trial court erred when it dismissed state charges against a man who was acquitted in federal court on a charge stemming from the same incident, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled.

IN Northern District courtroom to be named in Miller Jr.’s honor

February 10, 2022 | IL Staff

In recognition of Judge Robert Lowell Miller Jr.’s more than 46 years of judicial service, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana is naming the courtroom where he presides in his honor.

Bankruptcy filings fall again in 2021, holding off expected ‘wave’

February 8, 2022 | IL Staff

Bankruptcy filings fell again in 2021, dropping 24% nationwide, according to newly released data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Courts announce closures in advance of winter storm

February 2, 2022 | IL Staff

The winter storm predicted to dump several inches of snow on Indiana is disrupting courts around the Hoosier State, causing cancellations of some proceedings and closing courthouses.

7th Circuit: No ‘qualitative’ limitations in disability denial

February 2, 2022 | Marilyn Odendahl

An Indiana woman who was denied Social Security disability benefits failed to convince the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals that an administrative law judge erred by not considering the mental difficulty she experienced when being around more than five people at once.

Maley: Insights from the Indiana federal bench

February 2, 2022 | John Maley

At the annual federal civil practice seminar held in December, federal judges and staff offered practical insights and information.

7th Circuit upholds dismissal of trailer company’s suit against insurer

February 1, 2022 | Katie Stancombe

A trailer company’s lawsuit brought against its insurer after the company was sued by a competitor for a breach of contract was properly dismissed, the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed.

Justices take certified questions, rule Gary death row inmate didn’t ‘properly’ file PCR petition

January 28, 2022 | Jordan Morey

A Gary man sentenced to death did not “properly file” a post-conviction petition in 2016, and an Indiana Supreme Court order in 2017 to file the deficient PCR petition did not render it proper, the Supreme Court has ruled in response to certified questions from a federal judge.

7th Circuit affirms enhanced sentencing despite SCOTUS changes to Armed Career Criminal Act

January 25, 2022 | Jordan Morey

A “violent felon” will not have his enhanced sentence vacated after the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals determined he still met the provisions of the Armed Career Criminal Act despite a 2015 Supreme Court order that found part of the statute unconstitutionally vague.

Northern District dismisses patent infringement claims against major retailers

January 17, 2022 | Katie Stancombe

A man who claimed that several major retailers were liable to him for patent and trade dress infringement has had his complaint against them dismissed by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.

7th Circuit upholds denial of disability benefits

January 5, 2022 | Jordan Morey

An Indiana woman will not receive Social Security disability benefits after the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed her ailments don’t limit her from, at a minimum, sedentary work.

7th Circuit orders district court to resentence fleeing defendant

January 4, 2022 | Marilyn Odendahl

A Northern Indiana District Court judge who sentenced a defendant to the maximum will have to go back for a do-over after the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the prison term because of procedural errors that could not be deemed harmless.

Plaintiffs trying to overturn Lake County JNC tap brakes on court proceeding as judicial selection moves forward

December 8, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl and Katie Stancombe

A federal court has granted a request by the plaintiffs challenging the judicial selection process in Lake County to toss their previously filed motion for a preliminary injunction, which sought to stop the local nominating commission from filling the superior court vacancy created by the death of Judge Diane Boswell. Meanwhile, the Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission is preparing for interviews with 12 candidates vying to fill the Lake Superior Court vacancy.

Citing confusion in circuit courts, Health and Hospital Corp. urges SCOTUS to take appeal over nursing home resident rights of action

November 29, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl

The Health and Hospital Corp. of Marion County is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop a lawsuit brought on behalf of an Indiana nursing home resident that raises the question of whether the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act allows residents to bring claims regarding their care and treatment.

White high school athletic director loses ‘reverse race discrimination’ case in federal court

November 23, 2021 | Jordan Morey

A former South Bend high school athletic director claiming “reverse race discrimination” has lost on his claims that he was discriminated and retaliated against when he didn’t receive job offers for positions he applied for within the school corporation.

Articles