Web Exclusive: New law permits students to leave class for religious instruction
A new law enacted on July 1 across the state requires principals to allow students to be dismissed from class during the week to attend religious instruction.
Maura Johnson
Articles
Indiana schools respond to new law limiting cell phones in the classroom
Senate Bill 185, which became law on July 1, requires school corporations and charter schools to adopt a policy that prohibits students from using cellphones in the classroom. For students who haven’t known a world without the handheld device, the change is just that: a change, but one that many say is warranted and necessary for student learning and cooperation.
Student loan repayments left in limbo
Student loan borrowers across the country have been left in limbo after a federal court issued an injunction on President Joe Biden’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.
Judicial community celebrates retirement of Court of Appeals Judge Riley
Judges, colleagues, and loved ones from across the state and beyond gathered in the Indiana Statehouse on Friday to celebrate the career of Court of Appeals Judge Patricia Riley.
U.S. District Court dismisses ACLU lawsuit over new tenure law
The U.S. District Court for Southern Indiana granted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against the trustees of Purdue University and Indiana University over a new law requiring trustees to implement policies regarding faculty tenure.
Web exclusive: Federal DEFIANCE Act passes through Senate, awaits House approval
A bipartisan bill aimed to hold creators and distributors of sexually explicit “deepfakes” accountable unanimously passed in the United States Senate last month, seen as a crucial step in protecting victims of pornography by artificial intelligence.
College protests test free speech policies
An independent review of Indiana University’s response to encampment protests at the school’s Bloomington campus determined that while the university was permitted by legal standards and university policies to call off the protests when it did.
DEI litigation shows hit to targeted programs in US
Discussions around improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace have unfolded throughout the United States for decades, dating back to the 1960s with the establishment of equal employment laws and affirmative action.
Applications open for judicial position in Allen Superior Court
Applications are now open for a vacant superior court judge position with the Allen Superior Court.
Web Exclusive: Exonerees, whistleblower file lawsuit against City of Elkhart, police
Loevy & Loevy Attorneys at Law, who represent the plaintiffs in each case, argue Elkhart is on its way to becoming the wrongful conviction capital of North America.
Immigration positively impacting U.S. labor market
A new study from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco suggests the immigrant population is significantly boosting the number of workers in the U. S. labor market, giving the country a little more room to breathe as it continues marching through the post-pandemic era.
New senate bill seeks to remedy nursing shortage in Indiana
The state of Indiana is one of many across the U.S. working to temper the shortage. Senate Bill 132, which makes it easier for nurses from other countries to obtain licenses to work in the state, went into effect on July 1.
Web Exclusive: Religious liberty defenders gather at Notre Dame for 2024 summit
G. Marcus Cole, dean of the University of Notre Dame Law School, encouraged attendees to “take religious liberty out of politics,” emphasizing the importance of pushing for religious liberty for citizens across the globe, particularly in spaces where political arguments have caused strife and fractured relationships within communities.
7th Circuit Court affirms lower court’s dismissal of lawsuit against loan servicer, bank
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court’s dismissal of Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act violations after the plaintiff failed to state an FCRA claim and lacked standing to bring an FDCPA claim.
Expunging criminal record, regaining driver’s license often require assistance
Several counties across the state are working to help Hoosiers clear their records and reinstate their driver’s licenses, using expungement and driving restoration laws like those passed in many states to help residents get their lives back on track.
Law schools, firms increase training, classes in generative AI
According to the 2024 AI and Legal Education Survey, collected by the American Bar Association, 55% of the 200 surveyed law schools currently offer classes on artificial intelligence as part of their curriculum.
Indiana Supreme Court reverses dismissal order claiming plaintiff failed to move case along
The Indiana Supreme Court reversed an order from the Benton Circuit Court dismissing a plaintiff’s case regarding a settlement dispute because the party failed to move the case along, Chief Justice Loretta Rush wrote in a June 27 opinion.
Marion County prosecutor’s conviction integrity unit reviews potentially faulty cases
The unit’s work already has helped clear one Indianapolis man of murder, and about 10 more cases are under review.
Public colleges preparing for new state law that calls for ‘intellectual diversity’
Under the new law, faculty members at public universities will be required to teach scholarly works “from a variety of political or ideological frameworks” within the faculty member’s purview of instruction.
Indiana Tax Court rules petitioner failed to demonstrate invalidity of land values determination
The Indiana Tax Court has affirmed the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance’s determination that the Lake County Assessor correctly developed the county’s land order in 2022.