MARCH 13-MARCH 26, 2024
Pending legislation would undo Indiana's ban on letting juries know whether crash victims in personal-injury lawsuits were wearing seat belts, at least when it comes to determining damages. Indiana Lawyer Managing Editor Daniel Carson has the details. Also learn from reporter Alexa Shrake how leaders are trying to address the lawyer shortage in rural Indiana. And in Focus, Daniel brings you the latest on pending rules that would allow 3.6 million more salaried workers to qualify for overtime.
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New law will let Indiana juries know about seat belt use in crashes
If someone involved in a car crash isn’t buckled up, an Indiana jury currently isn’t allowed to know that due to the state’s longstanding prohibition on introducing such evidence. That will change as of July 1, thanks to the passage of House Bill 1090.
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New steps work to fill rural dearth of lawyers
The Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana State Bar Association are taking big and small steps to help bridge the gap, from making more people eligible to take Indiana’s bar exam to studying the root causes of a shortage that could lead to a lack of access to the legal system.
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Marion County program battles the ‘financial incarceration’ of eviction
About $2.3 million in grants are helping Lawrence Township Small Claims Court Judge Kimberly Bacon hire additional staff to support a local eviction diversion program that is serving nearly all of Marion County.
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New state law fills insurance coverage gap on inheritance
A new law signed by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb represents a new step in supporting beneficiaries who gain ownership of property through transfer on death deeds.
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Indiana Court Decisions: Feb. 22-March 6, 2024
Read Indiana appellate court decisions for the most recent reporting period.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Townsend: Non-compete a non-option? Consider garden leave.
Employers in England long ago developed a concept known as “garden leave,” in which departing employees stay on the payroll during the period they are restrained from competing.
Read MorePettygrove and Williamson: The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and EEOC regulations
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued its proposed Pregnant Workers Fairness Act in August 2023, and its final rules may be imminent.
Read MoreKilies and Watkins: The Cat’s Paw theory: Navigating employer liability
Under the Cat’s Paw Theory, employers may be liable if it is eventually uncovered that there was a discriminatory basis underlying the adverse employment decision.
Read MoreMacchia: The chipping away at permissible uses of non-competes
Traditionally, the question of whether a non-compete is enforceable turns on one question: is it reasonable?
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Goodfellow: Learning how to get acquainted with the lawyer next door
My neighbor is a lawyer, which I learned about quite accidentally.
Read MoreMadden & Clouse: Here’s an open casting call for pro bono work
“The world is a stage,” and everyone has a role to play in pro bono service.
Read MoreBell & Thompson: 3 things to know about judges and the use of social media
Some judges choose to be on social media, but in doing so, they likely take on more risk than lawyers do.
Read MoreTrimble: Retirement planning: It is never too early to start
The overwhelming conclusion has been that lawyers, as a group, do a terrible job of retirement planning.
Read MoreBar AssociationsBack to Top
IndyBar: Why You Should Be Part of the Bar Leader Series
With all of the expectations lawyers face, it can be hard to carve out time away from learning to practice the law and break away from the billable hour to identify leadership opportunities.
Read MoreIndyBar: IndyBar Celebrates Judges’ Accomplishments
Legal professionals attended the robing ceremony for the Hon. Marie L. Kern and the retirement ceremony for Hon. Cynthia J. Ayers.
Read MoreIndyBar: Does Your Paralegal Know Their Value?
Data breaches are quite common for small law firms, happening far more often than you might expect. The obvious implication is one could happen to you.
Read MoreIndyBar: IndyBar Foundation Accepting Applications for $35,000 Grant
Non-profit organizations and government entities are eligible for this grant, and the funds must be used to support a program that reinforces the foundation’s mission and presents opportunities for members of the central Indiana legal community to participate on a pro bono or modest means basis.
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