ND improves but IU law schools fall in annual rankings
Only one Indiana law school received good news with Tuesday’s release of the annual law school rankings.
Marilyn Odendahl
Articles
Legislative debate highlights issues surrounding juvenile offenders
A proposed change to Indiana’s juvenile law has state legislators wrestling with the question of when children should be treated like adults.
Anthem customers’ attorneys will have to prove injury
Since health insurance giant Anthem Inc. announced millions of customers’ information had been stolen in a data breach, class-action lawsuits against the company have been filed in federal courts across the country. Although the breach is unprecedented and consumers are fearful their identities will be stolen, the plaintiffs may not have been harmed according to the law.
‘Elkhart Four’ convictions put new spotlight on felony murder statute
Three teens convicted of felony murder have asked the Indiana Supreme Court to overturn their convictions because they did not directly kill the victim.
COA upholds $10,000 fine for failure to cooperate with discovery
A trial court that slapped a transportation company with a $10,000 sanction and ordered its president jailed if the fine was not paid did not commit an error, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled.
Elkhart teens try to convince justices to revisit felony murder statute
An Indiana statute and a 16-year-old Indiana Supreme Court decision interpreting that statute are under review as three teenagers serving 45-year sentences asked the justices to overturn their convictions for felony murder.
Legal aid agency chooses new leader
The Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic has tapped an internal candidate to be the agency’s next executive director.
Professor says verdict highlights need for Congress to revisit terrorism law
A historic $218.5 million verdict handed down Feb. 23 against Palestinian organizations for a series of terrorist attacks that killed or injured several U.S. citizens could bring unintended consequences and should cause Congress to reexamine federal terrorism statutes, according to a prominent Indiana legal scholar.
Contingency fees still help to provide access to courts
Twenty-five years later, a plaintiff’s attorney says changes to statutes have impacted awards, but the system remains necessary.
Rising cost of legal education sparked creation of ABA task force
At public law schools, the average tuition and fees across the country for in-state residents skyrocketed 123 percent between 2003 and 2013. Private law schools were marginally better, logging an increase of 64 percent, according to a 2014 analysis by Robert Kuehn, professor at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
IU McKinney observers illuminate murky proceedings in Gitmo trials
The U.S. Military Commission Observation Project overseen by Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law is continuing to send individuals to watch and report on the accused terrorists’ trials being held at Guantanamo Bay. Blog posts and articles from the observers chronicle the glacial pace of the proceedings, the unexpected courtroom twists and the nagging constitutional questions.
Bill would let Indiana businesses battle patent trolls in state courts
A bill, authored by Bedford Republican Rep. Eric Koch, would prohibit a person from asserting a bad-faith claim of patent infringement and would enable the Indiana business accused of infringing to seek remedy in state court.
COA finds dual conviction violated double jeopardy
On a sua sponte review, the Indiana Court of Appeals overturned one conviction of a Hamilton County woman who was found guilty of charges surrounding the death of an infant in her care.
Absence of evidence douses tobacco charge
An Indiana inmate’s punishment for allegedly trafficking in tobacco was snuffed out when the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals found he was convicted without evidence of guilt.
COA returns housewares theft case to trial court
A department store sales clerk who was convicted of two counts of theft is entitled to a rebate on her convictions and restitution amount, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled.
COA looks to Illinois for guidance on admission of naprapath’s testimony
In a case of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals found that a naprapath licensed in Illinois could testify about a woman’s injuries following a slip and fall.
Indiana same-sex couple files suit to get both names listed on birth certificate
A married lesbian couple filed a complaint in federal court charging Indiana is violating their constitutional rights by not listing both their names on their child’s birth certificate.
Southern District applauds work of attorney volunteers
The 61 Indiana attorneys who provided pro bono hours in the Southern District of Indiana last year were recognized Thursday for their efforts during the second annual Pro Bono Appreciation Breakfast.
Veterans court bill gets green light from Senate committee
A bill that would establish veterans courts in every judicial district has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and been reassigned to the Appropriations Committee.
New class at Notre Dame gets students to think about technology’s impact
Lawyers should not feel threatened by the new programs and websites that, in some cases, let lay people handle some of their legal issues, an attorney and legal technology entrepreneur says. In fact, the new technology actually allows lawyers to fill their true role as counselors.