7th Circuit affirms drug conspiracy conviction
A man convicted in a drug conspiracy could not convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that he pleaded guilty to a lesser amount than what the government indicted him for.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Articles
Southern Indiana District included in request for more judges
The Judicial Conference of the United States is again pleading with Congress to add 65 new judgeships in 24 district courts across the country, including two permanent new judges in the Southern Indiana District Court.
7th Circuit temporarily stays federal execution set for next week
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily stayed an execution scheduled for next week after finding that two issues raised by a Terre Haute inmate were “worthy of further exploration.” Wesley Ira Purkey’s execution was scheduled for July 15, but now it will be stayed “pending the completion of proceedings in the Seventh Circuit.”
SCOTUS denies cert petition against South Bend abortion clinic
U.S. Supreme Court justices rejected a third Indiana abortion case on Thursday, refusing to hear a petition filed against an embattled South Bend abortion clinic that was permitted by a federal judge to open last summer.
Federal court blocks Indiana panhandling law
In an order that noted Americans exercising their First Amendment rights against racial inequality and quoting Frederick Douglass on the sacred right of free speech, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday preventing Indiana’s new panhandling law from taking effect Wednesday.
7th Circuit finds judge misapplied prison rule without explanation
A judge who overturned prison discipline for an inmate who wrote an unauthorized check to a fellow inmate’s family member left a panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals puzzled in a brief reversal Monday.
Southern Indiana District sets reopening for July 6
The federal courthouses in the Southern Indiana District will reopen to the public July 6 and in-person court proceedings will begin resuming on a staggered schedule. All individuals will be required to answer screening questions to be allowed inside courthouses and to wear facemasks in all public spaces.
New and improved PACER system unveiled
The electronic PACER federal court records system is sporting a new look and improved functions as part of its first major upgrade in a decade. New features are touted as enabling users to more easily navigate the system, more quickly find what they are seeking, and get better access on their mobile devices. The upgrade also is designed to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Legal malpractice claim was far beyond statute of limitations, 7th Circuit affirms
A woman who filed a legal malpractice claim in a matter that began more than 20 years ago failed to convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that her complaint over the distribution of a trust was timely.
Indianapolis office manager gets 37-month sentence for embezzlement
An Indianapolis woman who embezzled nearly $540,000 from a company where she worked as controller and office manager for seven years has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison.
7th Circuit: Ineffective attorneys argument in fraud case deserves a hearing
After the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the district court’s denial of his motion to vacate his sentence, an Indiana man will have the chance to present his argument that if he had not followed the advice of his “constitutionally ineffective” lawyers and turned down a plea offer, his sentence would have been significantly less than the 92 months he received. One of the lawyers he accuses is now a magistrate judge.
7th Circuit orders resentencing in career offender’s bank robbery, carjacking
A man convicted of armed robbery will again have his sentence reconsidered after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals found a district court failed to sufficiently justify why it deviated from his sentencing guideline range by more than 37 years.
Roncalli, archdiocese lose bid to limit discovery in fired counselor’s discrimination suit
The Indianapolis Archdiocese and an affiliated high school have once again lost a bid to limit discovery in a fired employee’s same-sex discrimination lawsuit to the question of whether the plaintiff’s claims fall under the First Amendment’s “ministerial exception.”
Lawsuit challenges IMPD actions against protesters
Indy 10 Black Lives Matter and the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana have sued the city of Indianapolis, seeking to end the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s use of chemical weapons and projectiles against protesters.
DCS files multiple responses after motion to dismiss child-welfare suit denied
Less than a month after a federal court denied a motion to dismiss, the Indiana Department of Child Services is asking the judge to reconsider the original motion as well as review a second motion to dismiss in an attempt to derail a lawsuit alleging the state violated the constitutional rights of children in its care.
Suit filed over black man’s killing by Indianapolis officer
The mother of a black man who was killed by an Indianapolis police officer filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday against the city, its police department and four officers, including the one who fired the fatal shots.
AG Hill accusers vow to pursue ‘all available civil claims’ in state court
After a federal court ruling that terminated Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill as a defendant in their lawsuit, the four women who accuse Hill of sexual misconduct say they will “continue their pursuit of all available civil claims” against the AG.
Southern District requiring federal courthouse visitors to wear face masks
All visitors and occupants of every Southern District of Indiana courthouse will be required to wear protective face masks, Chief Judge Jane Magnus Stinson announced in a Friday order. Those who refuse could be found in contempt of court.
7th Circuit upholds life sentence for man in Kentucky, Indiana drug conspiracy
A man sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in a large narcotics conspiracy stemming from Louisville, Kentucky did not persuade the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse his conviction and sentence.
7th Circuit halts COVID-19 release for man convicted in IU student’s murder
The man convicted in the 2000 murder of Indiana University student Jill Behrman must stay in prison while his habeas case is on appeal, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in a decision vacating a release order issued less than two weeks ago.