Judicial officers in demand
Seven counties are asking the Legislature for 11 magistrates to handle increasing caseloads.
Vanderburgh County
Articles
Delay of protection order hearing called ‘disturbing’
The Indiana Court of Appeals called a trial court’s delay in setting a hearing on a petition for a permanent protection order “disturbing” and found the lower court’s denial of the order did not comply with the state’s trial rules.
Judiciary interim study committee to vote on magistrates
The Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary is expected to vote Thursday on endorsing magistrate judge requests from seven Indiana counties.
Judiciary study committee to consider new judges, consent to adoption
The Indiana General Assembly’s Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary meets Thursday for the first time this year and will look at the addition of judges in several counties.
COA affirms child should be raised with half-siblings
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the petition to adopt a child by a couple who have already adopted her half-siblings. Although the couple temporarily dropped their petition to adopt, the judges agreed it is in the child’s best interests to be raised with her siblings.
Man can be charged for failing to register in 2 counties
The Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered a trial on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender in Vanderburgh County, ruling that a man can be charged in that county even though he pleaded guilty to failing to register in a different county based on the same move.
Indiana justices consider whether ‘cause of death’ is public information
The Evansville newspaper and local county health department appeared before the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday, reviving a dispute they had decades ago over whether death certificates are public record.
Badger: Supreme Court will hear death records dispute
The Indiana Supreme Court will hear oral argument May 8 in a dispute over public access to county death records. The case, Evansville Courier & Press v. Vanderburgh County Health Department, raises the issue of whether a county health department’s death certificates, including the cause of death, are public records under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act.
Justices find school corporation circumvented public bidding laws
The southern Indiana school corporation that facilitated renovations of its warehouse through an agreement with a local public school endowment organization violated Indiana Public Bidding Laws, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The justices rejected taxpayers’ claims that the process also constituted a violation of the Antitrust Law.
Magistrate, expungement bills pass committee
Legislation updating Indiana’s expungement law – including language specifying where a petition for expungement must be filed – is now eligible for consideration by the full House. The expungement bill is one of several that moved out of committee Thursday.
Is a death certificate public information?
Differing interpretations of statutory language puts the state of Indiana and the Court of Appeals at odds.
COA: Petitioning court for placement not the same as applying directly
The Indiana Court of Appeals clarified for a defendant its previous conclusion that he never applied for acceptance into a county post-conviction forensic diversion program and affirmed that his petition for judicial review was not proper.
Commission on Courts to look at confidentiality of paternity cases
The Commission on Courts will tackle several issues at its meeting Oct. 21, including the confidentiality of juvenile court records in juvenile paternity cases.
COA reverses involuntary termination order for a second time
The Indiana Court of Appeals sharply rebuked a trial court as having “committed clear error” by relying on old evidence and testimony in terminating a Vanderburgh County couple’s parental rights.
Supreme Court weighs Evansville casino smoking exemption
An Evansville ordinance that exempts the city’s only casino from a smoking ban is being challenged in the Indiana Supreme Court by bar and private club owners who say the measure violates the state constitution’s equal protection clause. IBJ.com has the story.
Holiday World widow does not have to sell shares, COA rules
The widow and children of the late William Koch Jr., can keep their shares in the southern Indiana theme park, Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, after a ruling by the Indiana Court of Appeals concluded that William’s brother, Dan Koch, and Koch Development Corp. offered too little money for the shares.
Denial of recorded Vanderburgh ‘river camps’ lots affirmed
“River camps” along the Ohio River that date back to the 1930s may not be divided as lots of record based on the testimony of longtime residents, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, affirming a judgment of the Vanderburgh Circuit Court.
Vanderburgh County requests new court magistrate
Seated alone at the table in front of the Indiana General Assembly’s Commission on Courts, Vanderburgh Circuit Judge David Kiely recently asked for a new magistrate in his court.
Sex offender not eligible to participate in county diversion program
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of a defendant’s petition for judicial review after he was denied placement by the court in the Vanderburgh County Forensic Diversion Program. The COA held that there was no final administrative decision for the court to review.
Bail bond issues dominate Commission on Courts meeting
Although charged with only one duty, the Commission on Courts has added the controversial topic of bail bonds to its summer study agenda.