Year in Review: Top Indiana Lawyer web headlines for 2018

Listen to this story

0:00

Loading audio file, please wait.

0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
2.00

Here are the 50 most-read stories on theindianalawyer.com written by the Indiana Lawyer staff and posted online in 2018, based on page views through Dec. 10 provided by Google Analytics. Click the links to read the full stories.

1. Ice Miller attorney faces discipline in Park Tudor sex abuse case
(Nov. 7)

Prominent Indianapolis employment attorney Michael Blickman is facing a disciplinary complaint for his involvement in the botched investigation of former Park Tudor basketball coach Kyle Cox, who later was convicted of coercing a student into exchanging sexually explicit images and texts.

2. 7th Circuit reverses death sentence for murderer Baer
(Jan. 11)

Despite the “atrocious” nature of murderer Fredrick Baer’s crimes, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed his death sentence, finding prosecutorial misconduct and misleading jury instructions likely influenced the jury’s decision to sentence him to death.

Altice

Slaughter

3.Retention website created ahead of Slaughter, Altice November retention vote
(July 16)

Indiana’s state courts have established a website with information about two Indiana appellate judges facing retention on the November ballot, Indiana Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey G. Slaughter and Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Robert R. Altice, Jr.

4. Preliminary bar passage rate slips again for July 2018 exam
(Sept. 6)

The overall pass rate for the Indiana Bar Exam continued its decline, with the July results showing 62 percent of all the takers successfully completing the test. This is a step back from the slight improvement that came with the July 2017 exam results, when 66 percent passed.

5. IU Maurer professor under Title IX investigation
(Dec. 3)

Associate law professor Ian Samuel, who joined the faculty at Indiana University Maurer School of Law this fall and is a co-host of the popular “First Mondays” podcast discussing the U.S. Supreme Court, is under investigation for alleged Title IX violations, according to IU.

6. Holcomb appoints 3 to Marion County bench
(Aug. 10)

Jones

Harrison

Garner

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb announced his appointment of Charnette D. Garner, Jennifer P. Harrison and Magistrate Mark A. Jones to the Marion Superior Court. They are the first Indianapolis judges appointed to the bench through merit-based selection.

7. Attorney couple seeking changes for Indiana foster parents
(Nov. 14)

After their foster child was unexpectedly removed from their care, Indianapolis attorneys Joe Delamater and his wife Kiamesha Colom are pushing for changes to state statutes they say will balance the system so the right results will happen for kids.

8. Hoosier law schools fall in U.S News rankings
(March 20)

After three consecutive years of climbing in the U.S. News and World Report’s law school rankings, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law tumbled to 98th in the 2019 rankings. IU Maurer fell to 32nd and Notre Dame declined to 24th.

9. Indiana law professors sign letters opposing Kavanaugh confirmation
(Oct. 3)

Law professors from all four of Indiana’s law schools have signed letters asking the United States Senate to oppose the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. One letter argues Kavanaugh lacks the temperament to be seated on the nation’s highest court, while the other asserts he was not fully vetted and that his judgments would erode civil and individual rights.

10. Judge: Race, age discrimination claims against Amazon may proceed
(Nov. 15)

An age and race discrimination case against online shopping giant Amazon will proceed after a district judge in Indianapolis partially declined to dismiss claims brought by a former employee.

11. Lawyer accused of theft from disabled held without bond amid new charges
(Oct. 2)

Suspended Indiana lawyer Kenneth Shane Service, accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from disabled and special needs clients, was held without bond in the Johnson County Jail after authorities in at least two counties issued warrants for his arrest.

12. Students accused of sexual misconduct suing colleges, universities
(Oct. 17)

A Purdue University student identified only as John Doe is suing the school after he was accused and ultimately found responsible by the university for sexually assaulting his former girlfriend. At least six Indiana universities are facing suits from students claiming their due process rights were violated in such investigations.

13. Judge rules for Butler in suit by ex-student accused of sex assault
(Oct. 22)

A civil lawsuit against Butler University brought by another John Doe student who claims he was wrongly expelled after being falsely accused of sexual assault has ended with a judgment in favor of the university and other school personnel involved in the investigation.

14. ISBA poll results favor retention of Slaughter, Altice
(Oct. 4)

Indiana State Bar Association members strongly support keeping two state appellate judges on the bench. The ISBA 2018 judicial retention poll found that more than 90 percent of survey voters favor retaining Indiana Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey G. Slaughter, while 89 percent favor retaining Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Robert R. Altice, Jr.

15. Hendricks Regional, Hall Render face $50M lawsuit over failed deal
(March 21)

A lawsuit against Hendricks Regional Health and an Indianapolis law firm representing the hospital group alleges they used “malicious, oppressive, willful, wanton, and/or reckless conduct” in conspiring to squelch a competitor’s deal to operate 23 Indiana care facilities after Hendricks’ contract was terminated.

16. Child support network faces fear of collapse
(Jan. 24)

Indiana’s technology used to establish child support accounts, receive payments and disburse the funds to custodial parents is described as “built on dying technology.” Prosecutors who use the system talk about regular glitches and outages that stop all or part of the processing work. The concern is that one day, ISETS will crash for good.

17. COA reverses default ruling against race horse veterinarian
(Oct. 1)

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a decision that found Hoosier racehorse veterinarian Joseph Baliga in default without a hearing in a disciplinary action against him brought by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission.

18. Valpo dean’s resignation latest of troubled law school’s woes
(March 21)

The notice of dean Andrea Lyon’s impending resignation is the first announcement from Valparaiso Law School since the 138-year-old institution disclosed last year that it is struggling financially and looking for an alternative to continue operating.

19. Nine named as finalists to fill Marion County bench vacancies
(May 23)

The Marion County Judicial Selection Committee has selected nine finalists to be considered to fill three upcoming Marion County court vacancies after interviewing 40 candidates over a three-day period. Vacancies will be created when three judges’ terms expire at the end of the year.

20. Three Marion County judges retiring at the end of 2018
(Feb. 21)

Three Marion County judges will retire from the bench at the end of this year as the first-ever retention interviews are underway. Democratic Judges Rebekah Pierson-Treacy, Marion Superior Criminal Division 19, and Thomas Carroll, Marion Superior Civil Division 6, are stepping down. Also, Republican Judge Michael Keele, Marion Superior Civil Division 7, has decided not to stand for retention.

Other top headlines

21. Jury award of $21M in drunk driving crash upheld (Oct. 26)

22. Critics say General Assembly harassment proposal sidesteps key concerns (Nov. 28)

23. 40 apply to fill 3 pending Marion County judge vacancies (April 10)

24. Supreme Court CAO Willis resigns (April 19)

25. Voters oust trial court judge; Carmichael beats party-switching ex-jurist (Nov. 7)

26. Justices preserve public access to Lake Michigan shore (Feb. 14)

27. Jury awards $15M after Indiana cancer patient’s misread CT scan (June 19)

28. California class action: Scooters a public nuisance, cause unrest (Oct. 24)

29. Indiana Supreme Court calls for review of bar exam (Dec. 4)

30. Jury awards $1.9 million in case rising from Menard-Hilbert fight (Feb. 28)

31. Benesch Indianapolis closing, attorneys moving to Taft (March 9)