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

Courthouse curriculum: New learning center will tell the story of Southern Indiana District Court

January 5, 2022 | Marilyn Odendahl

To help explain the significance of what school children and adults see, a project is underway to create a space within the Southern Indiana District Court building that will teach about the third branch of government. The Federal Court Learning Center will showcase some of the artifacts from the Southern Indiana District as well as feature informational displays and interactive exhibits. Visitors will learn how the federal judiciary works, how it is different from the state courts and the roles citizens play in the judicial process.

Judge allows WISH-TV’s discrimination suit against AT&T to move forward

January 3, 2022 | Indianapolis Business Journal Staff

A federal judge has ruled that a racial discrimination lawsuit filed against AT&T by Circle City Broadcasting, which owns WISH-TV Channel 8 and WNDY-TV Channel 23, can move forward as the two companies battle over retransmission fees.

7th Circuit: Indiana man waived right to challenge arrest history at sentencing

December 29, 2021 | Jordan Morey

An Indiana man convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine will not have his prison time reduced after the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals opined he waived his right to challenge the consideration of his arrest history at sentencing.

Federal court rules losses suffered by Patachou restaurant not covered by insurance

December 28, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl

The Patachou restaurants in Indianapolis and Carmel will not be able to recoup their financial losses from the COVID-19 shutdown in the spring of 2020 after a federal court found the insurance policy they held only reimbursed for damage to the actual brick and mortar structures.

7th Circuit: Southern District must recalculate restitution in fake credit card case

December 27, 2021 | Jordan Morey

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will need to recalculate the restitution owed by an Indiana woman who was convicted of stealing thousands of dollars by creating fake credit cards after the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated its remanded order for a second time.

7th Circuit affirms for ruling collections company in credit information dispute

December 23, 2021 | Katie Stancombe

A collections company’s compliance procedures were reasonable and met the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act in its pursuit of collecting from an Indiana woman, the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.

Pendleton Heights Gay-Straight Alliance wins injunction for access to school resources

December 23, 2021 | Olivia Covington

A central Indiana school district must give the local high school’s gay-straight alliance access to the same advertising and fundraising resources as other noncurricular organizations, a federal judge has ruled, issuing an injunction after finding a violation of the Equal Access Act.

7th Circuit revives complaints in Cook MDL

December 17, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl

After Cook, Inc., had a pair of complaints dismissed from a multi-district litigation by arguing the opposite of what it had asserted against other complaints filed in the same MDL, the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the two lawsuits, finding the switcheroo was not fair to the plaintiffs.

Settlement reached in redlining lawsuit against Old National Bank

December 17, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl

Evansville-based Old National Bank has settled allegations of redlining against Black residents in Indianapolis, agreeing to originate more than $27 million in loans to qualified Black applicants and contributing more than $3 million to create programs to help Black homeseekers secure mortgages and to invest in majority-Black neighborhoods.

Actors retell personal accounts of early Indiana district judges during court historical society event

December 13, 2021 | Katie Stancombe

The Historical Society of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana recently invited members of the legal community to listen to the true experiences — both joyful and harrowing — of two of its earliest judges.

7th Circuit: No duty of care owed to man injured while driving pallet jack

December 10, 2021 | Katie Stancombe

A pallet company did not owe a duty of care to a man whose foot was crushed and amputated after he was injured while operating a machine used to lift and transport pallets, the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed.

Former Banc-Serv exec sentenced to more than 5 years in prison

December 10, 2021 | Susan Orr, Indianapolis Business Journal

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced former financial executive Kerri Agee, 46, of Noblesville to five years and eight months in prison for her role in a 13-year fraud scheme at the financial services firm she once owned.

7th Circuit reverses summary judgement for Indy police officer in excessive force case

December 7, 2021 | Jordan Morey

The 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals is sending an excessive force case back down to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana after it found the district court erroneously awarded summary judgment to an Indianapolis police officer and the city.

State loses bid to depose hospital in abortion lawsuit

December 6, 2021 | IL Staff

The state will not get to depose a Philadelphia hospital as part of one of Indiana’s multiple abortion-related lawsuits after a federal judge overruled the state’s objection to the grant of the hospital’s motion to quash.

Prosecutors ask for eight-year prison sentence for former financial exec

December 6, 2021 | Susan Orr, Indianapolis Business Journal and Indianapolis Business Journal Staff

Prosecutors are asking for an eight-year prison sentence for former financial executive Kerri Agee of Noblesville, who was found guilty in August of four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy.

7th Circuit asked to reinstate employment claims against state in former AG Hill groping case

December 3, 2021 | Olivia Covington

The issues of jurisdiction and employment relationships were at the center of arguments before the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday as three of the four women who accused former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill of drunkenly groping them asked the appellate panel to reinstate their federal lawsuit against the state.

Inmate awarded habeas relief for lack of evidence in prison disciplinary action

December 3, 2021 | IL Staff

A prisoner accused of bringing heroin into a correctional facility has been granted habeas relief after the United States District Court of the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, found the defense failed to provide evidence he committed the crime.

7th Circuit Judge David Hamilton to take senior status in 2022

December 2, 2021 | IL Staff

Judge David F. Hamilton will take senior status from the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals next year.

Lafayette luxury car dealer must face Black former employee’s race discrimination case, Southern District rules

December 1, 2021 | Jordan Morey

The former sales manager of a Lafayette car dealership can proceed with a race discrimination case against the luxury car dealer after the Indiana Southern District Court denied a motion to dismiss.

Former AG Hill could call dozens of lawmakers in state court defense against groping civil case

December 1, 2021 | Olivia Covington

As the four women who accused former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill of sexual misconduct are preparing to take their Title VII case to the 7^th Circuit, Hill is preparing to defend himself in state court, releasing a list of witnesses that includes more than two dozen lawmakers.

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