Trial postponed in case of alleged excessive force in Muncie
A judge has granted a long delay in the trial of three Muncie police officers who were charged in an investigation of excessive force.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Articles
Federal judge strikes Terre Haute zoning ordinance that blocked strip club
A federal judge has seemingly made a way for a new strip club to open in Terre Haute by granting a preliminary injunction against a zoning scheme that has kept the club from opening.
Judge: Kosher meals don’t infringe on Muslim inmate’s rights
A Muslim inmate in the Indiana Department of Correction is not entitled to a halal diet, a federal judge has ruled, finding that the inmate failed to prove that eating a kosher diet instead would violate his Islamic beliefs.
Indiana Southern District closes clerk’s offices to public
Federal court clerk’s offices across the Southern District of Indiana are now closed to the public indefinitely as the months-long COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Jury duty? No thanks, say many, forcing trials to be delayed
Jury duty notices have set Nicholas Philbrook’s home on edge with worries about him contracting the coronavirus and passing it on to his father-in-law, a cancer survivor with diabetes in his mid-70s who is at higher risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19.
Dozens of district courts suspend jury trials as COVID-19 cases surge
As a sharp rise in coronavirus cases sweeps the nation, nearly two dozen U.S. district courts – including both in Indiana – have ordered for the suspension of jury trials or grand jury proceedings, federal courts announced.
Southern District amends rule for initial extensions of time
A rule amendment taking effect next month in the Southern District of Indiana changes filing and notice procedures for counsel seeking initial extensions of time.
Habeas petition dismissed for man facing federal execution Thursday
A federal judge in Indianapolis has denied a habeas petition filed on behalf of a convicted killer scheduled to die by lethal injection Thursday at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute. Defense attorneys immediately appealed, seeking a stay of execution.
Terre Haute election fraud case to be highlighted at Southern District Court history symposium
The third and final fall virtual continuing legal education event hosted by the Court Historical Society of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will take place next week.
Southern District to halt trials, naturalizations due to COVID-19
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana announced Friday it is suspending jury trials and cancelling naturalization ceremonies in response to the continuing surge of COVID-19 cases in the state.
Ex-Charlestown zoo owner released from jail as nonprofit is dissolved
The controversial owner of a now-defunct Charlestown zoo is vowing to “prepare for war” after his roadside attraction was formally dissolved.
Indiana election suit plaintiffs waiting for fees, watching voting statutes
In the only election lawsuit the state did not appeal, the plaintiffs have filed a third request with the Southern Indiana District Court for more time in filing a petition for attorney fees.
Arbitrators deny J.P. Morgan’s request for damages against three former advisers
An arbitration panel has denied J.P. Morgan Securities LLC’s request to collect more than $1.5 million in damages and fees from three former Carmel employees who left the firm to join Raymond James & Associates in 2018.
Lawsuit claims IU violated Constitution in search of ID card data
Four students at Indiana University Bloomington who were part of an investigation into allegations of hazing at a fraternity have filed a federal lawsuit and are trying to block the school from accessing the swipe data from students’ ID cards without a warrant.
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.
High court won’t extend Wisconsin’s absentee ballot deadline
The Supreme Court is siding with Republicans to prevent Wisconsin from counting mailed ballots that are received after Election Day.
Federal court rejects archdiocese’s religious exemption claim in Roncalli case
Ruling the religious exemption in Title VII should be narrowly construed so as to avoid stripping employees of all protections against discrimination, the Southern Indiana District Court denied a motion for judgment on the pleadings by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in a lawsuit brought by a guidance counselor who was fired from her job at Roncalli High School for being in a same-sex marriage.
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.
7th Circuit upholds noon Election Day deadline for receipt of absentee ballots
Absentee ballots received by local election officials after noon on Election Day will not be counted, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled, reversing a lower court that had issued an injunction in light of likely mail slowdowns caused by a surge in mail-in voting due to the pandemic.
Fighting words: Pro se’s 20-year legal battle morphs into crusade over perceived unfairness
Peter Prostyakov, a native of Moscow who’s now a U.S. Citizen living in Carmel, details what he concedes is his convoluted journey into the federal judicial system, where he believes courts act unfairly toward him and other self-represented litigants.