SCOTUS justices say vet who lost job as Texas trooper can sue state
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a former state trooper to sue Texas over his claim that he was forced out of his job when he returned from Army service in Iraq.
veterans
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LSC report spotlights need to help veterans
Military veterans often hear about how much their service is valued, but the transition from active duty to the civilian world is a difficult journey that can force them to face, alone, struggles with physical and mental health, endless bureaucracy and the nuances of living life out of uniform. Compounding the difficulties are the civil legal issues that burden many former service members.
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Web Exclusive: Incarcerated vets pay it forward with challenge coins
A group of incarcerated veterans dedicated to encouraging their fellow servicemen participating in a veteran’s treatment court program have, for the past several years, made an impact by taking up their pencils and paintbrushes.
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Called to serve their neighbors, at home and abroad
The law is a service profession, one lawyers often enter into with big dreams of changing the world. For some lawyers, though, the work of changing the world begins not in law school, but in the military.
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Articles
Decade of service: Indiana marks 10 years of veterans courts
A decade after the first veterans court opened in Floyd County, there are now 28 veterans courts statewide, according to the Indiana Supreme Court. On May 10, at the Ogle Hall auditorium on Ivy Tech Community College’s Sellersburg campus, the first veterans court celebrated its 10th anniversary along with a ceremony honoring its newest cohort of graduates.
Laws criminalizing HIV to be reviewed by legislative interim study committee
Heeding a call from a bipartisan group of legislators, Indiana will undertake a review of its criminal code for laws concerning HIV, with the focus on modernizing state statutes and helping to end the HIV epidemic.
Justices cast doubt on Texas immunity claim in vet’s lawsuit
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday cast doubt on Texas’ claim that it can’t be sued by a former state trooper who says he was forced out of his job when he returned from Army service in Iraq.
Indiana man gets probation for entering Capitol on Jan. 6
A man from Vincennes has been sentenced to three years’ probation for his part in the Jan. 6 riot during which the crowd stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Feds seek tougher sentences for veterans who stormed Capitol, including Indiana man
Federal judges are facing a thorny question when they sentence veterans who stormed the Capitol: Do they deserve leniency because they served their country or tougher punishment because they swore an oath to defend it?
Biden’s ‘jobs Cabinet’ to sell infrastructure as GOP resists
President Joe Biden is setting about convincing America it needs his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, deputizing a five-member “jobs Cabinet,” including former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, to help in the effort. But the enormity of his task is clear after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed to oppose the plan “every step of the way.”
IndyBar: Attorneys Deliver Peace of Mind During Free Wills Clinic
For years, IndyBar attorneys have helped community members living in poverty to safeguard their futures through the IndyBar’s Free Wills Clinics. This year, IndyBar volunteers (safely) set up at the Indiana Veterans Center to draft wills and advance directives for Indianapolis citizens at no cost.
Man convicted in shootings of 5 outside American Legion bar
An Evansville man accused of shooting five people outside an American Legion post last year has been convicted of several felony counts in that attack.
Indianapolis imposes penalties on vendors that don’t meet minority-contracting goals
The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday approved a measure that gives teeth to the city’s minority-contracting program.
Former Gov. Joe Kernan dies at 74 after battle with Alzheimer’s disease
Former Indiana Gov. Joseph Kernan, a gregarious Democrat who spent 11 months as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and served as mayor of South Bend, died Wednesday morning after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 74.
7th Circuit affirms ruling for Cook in medical-supply dispute
Despite arguments from both sides, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s ruling that while a medical supply company breached a distribution agreement with a medical supply manufacturer, the former was not liable for the breach.
COA reverses contempt finding against vet for nonpayment in divorce dispute
The goal of harmonizing provisions between conflicting provisions in a divorce settlement led the Indiana Court of Appeals to find a military veteran should not have been held in contempt for discontinuing monetary support to his former wife.
Federal legislation would grow, sustain veterans court programs
As veterans court programs expand nationwide, the federal government is exploring opportunities to provide additional resources to local courts. If enacted, the Veteran Treatment Court Coordination Act of 2019 would task the Department of Justice with establishing an office to provide additional funding and technical assistance to veterans courts.
Speedway Democrat not seeking re-election to Statehouse
An Indianapolis area Democrat who at one point had considered making a run for governor will not seek re-election to her Statehouse office. Indiana Rep. Karlee Macer, of Speedway, announced Tuesday that she won’t run for re-election for House District 92 this year.
No charges against ex-senator over Indiana lobbying contract
Prosecutors have decided a former Indiana state senator won’t face criminal charges over possible violations of state lobbying laws involving his work with the state’s Department of Veterans Affairs.
Indy mayoral candidates want state law to better protect tenants
The major party candidates for Indianapolis mayor say they want to see changes in the state’s eviction laws that could help prevent some people from becoming homeless.
Pence touts Trump military, vets record during Indianapolis visit
Vice President Mike Pence touted the achievements of President Donald Trump in building up the military and improving veterans’ benefits to the American Legion’s national convention.
Psych exam ordered for man accused of firing gun at VA hospital
A federal judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for an Indianapolis man accused of opening fire at a Chicago veterans hospital earlier this month.
Man convicted in Evansville bingo hall shooting
A southwestern Indiana man has been convicted of attempted murder and other charges after a January shooting inside a crowded Veterans of Foreign Wars post that wounded one person.