In This Issue of Indiana Lawyer

Justices side with casinos’ interests on card counters, problem gambling losses

The Indiana Supreme Court has given state casinos a double win, strengthening their rights by saying they can exclude card counters and holding that pathological gamblers can’t recover damages stemming from gambling losses as long as the casinos are following state regulations.

Biking barristers

Maybe it’s no surprise that after a long week in the office meeting with clients, attending court hearings, and handling filings that a journey on the open road with nothing but a motorcycle and maybe a few friends is the perfect way to spend the weekend.

Reaching out to lawyers

Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs conference held in Indianapolis this year considers the role of assistance programs for attorneys.

5 Court of Appeals judges up for retention

One third of the Indiana Court of Appeals judges face a retention vote this year. Read the judges’ answers to questions posed by Indiana Lawyer.

Commissions applicants Q&A online

Read the responses from the five Indiana Judicial Nominating and Qualification commissions nominees to questions posed by Indiana Lawyer.

Education conclave focuses on diversity, economy

When the Indiana State Bar Association gets law students, attorneys, professors, judges, court administrators, deans, and representatives of Indiana’s Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program, Disciplinary Commission, Board of Law Examiners, and the Indiana Bar Foundation are all in the same place for a few hours, some interesting dialogues are bound to take place.

Discipline case poses questions on recusals, separation of powers

Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney should be publicly reprimanded for violating four professional conduct rules in his handling of civil forfeiture matters as a private attorney while simultaneously prosecuting those same criminal defendants, according to a hearing officer the Indiana Supreme Court appointed to examine disciplinary charges against the prosecutor.

Former Justice Theodore R. Boehm joins Indy dispute resolution firm

Aside from writing precedent-setting decisions and rules that govern the entire Hoosier legal community, now-retired Indiana Supreme Court Justice Theodore R. Boehm said there’s one significant part of his legacy on the state’s highest court that is mostly overlooked.

Marion County prosecutor candidates face off

The two candidates for Marion County prosecutor faced each other at their alma mater, Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, Sept. 29, in a debate sponsored by the Republican Law Coalition, the Democratic Law Society, and the Criminal Law Association of the law school.

7 semi-finalists still vying for Tax Court

Seven attorneys remain in the running to be the next Indiana Tax Court judge, and they return for second interviews before the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission Oct. 27.

Anti-piracy legislation tackles IP enforcement

The notion of pirates pillaging treasures and bartering it on the high seas isn’t that far fetched for Indianapolis intellectual property attorney Jonathan Polak.

Technology Untangled: Overcome odd twists to solve tech issues

Let’s review some technical problems and solutions that have come across my desk in the past few months. It seems like even the apparently straightforward issues often take an odd twist

Applications for new magistrate accepted

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is accepting applications for a new magistrate position recently approved by the Judicial Conference.

SCOTUS won’t take Indiana UPL case

The Supreme Court of the United States won’t reconsider a significant unauthorized practice of law case ruled on by the Indiana Supreme Court earlier this year.

Court cuts $42.4 million state back pay award

The Indiana Court of Appeals today significantly slashed a $42.4 million damages award against the state, cutting the period from which employees can recover back pay from 20 years to about two months.

Indiana Supreme Court upholds death sentence

The Indiana Supreme Court has declined to grant a twice-convicted death row inmate’s request for a new trial, upholding his convictions and penalty for murders that go back more than a decade.

SCOTUS asked to take both judicial canons appeals

A Terre Haute attorney wants the nation’s highest court to review two appellate cases out of Indiana and Wisconsin that uphold judicial canons and pose free speech questions about what judicial candidates can say or do when campaigning for office.

Judge Pratt makes history

Judge Tanya Walton Pratt becomes the first African-American federal jurist in Indiana.

7th Circuit upholds injunction in adult-business ordinance case

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a Southern District of Indiana judge who granted a preliminary injunction preventing Indianapolis from enforcing the 2002 ordinance that regulates adult-bookstore business hours.

Senate confirms Indy lawyer as new U.S. Attorney

An Indianapolis lawyer has gotten approval to become the next U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, ending a three-year gap since last time a U.S. Senate confirmed leader held that post.

Law school hosts appellate hearings

Indiana University Maurer School of Law – Bloomington recently hosted two appellate hearings at the law school’s moot court room.

Candidate on ballot as appeal proceeds

The Indiana Supreme Court has refused to sidestep the state’s intermediate appellate court on a judicial-election issue from Lake County, while the lower appeals court decided not to grant an expedited-hearing request despite the pending election.

State’s longest-seated chief public defender dies

Indiana’s longest-seated chief public defender and the first ever public defender in Porter County died unexpectedly Sept. 29.

Hospital general counsel enjoys diverse workload

After spending 12 years in the health-care field as an X-ray technician, an in-house counsel for a hospital network in Indianapolis seems to be in the right place.

Disciplinary Actions -10/13/10

Read who’s been suspended or publicly reprimanded.

Justices disagree on prosecutor’s public reprimand

The Indiana Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded a lawyer for what happened to his license when he left private practice to become a full-time prosecutor in northwest Indiana, but the disciplinary action has split the state’s justices on whether a more severe punishment was warranted.

Bar marks milestones; celebration set

Updates from the Evansville Bar and Marion County Bar Associations.

ISBA panel still studying ALJ issues

Gov. Mitch Daniels fired the state’s top utility regulator recently, citing ethical concerns about how a now-former administrative law judge presided over cases involving a regulated energy company leading up to his taking a job there. The governor’s actions told those serving as state agency ALJs that the spirit of a mandatory one-year cooling-off rule […]

DTCI: Insurance policies’ notice provision

A number of recent Indiana cases have addressed the provision found in nearly all insurance policies that requires an insured to provide its insurer with prompt notice of a claim.

DTCI Kudos

Lloyd H. Milliken, Jr., (past president) and Randall R. Riggs, partners in Frost Brown Todd, who were recognized in the September/October 2010 Super Lawyers® Corporate Counsel Edition.

John C. Trimble (past president), partner in Lewis Wagner, who has been appointed chair of the Public Policy Committee of DRI.

Hickey:The Many Faces of IndyBar

Earlier this year, I promised that we would introduce you to the many faces of the Indianapolis Bar Association.

IBA: Blomquist announced as 2013 IndyBar President

The Indianapolis Bar Association’s Nominating Committee has announced the selection of Kerry Hyatt Blomquist, General Counsel for the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence as the 2013 President of the Association. Blomquist will be the organization’s 135th President.

IBA: Gelinas and Hepler to Receive Antoinette Dakin Leach Award

Julia Blackwell Gelinas, Partner of Frost Brown Todd LLC, and the late Deborah Hepler will be honored with the Antoinette Dakin Leach Award on October 20 from the Women and the Law Division of the Indianapolis Bar Association.

IBA: Inaugural Class of Senior Fellows

The Indianapolis Bar Foundation had inducted a new class of fellows, Senior Fellows. Senior Fellows of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation are Distinguished Fellows who have been nominated based upon their continued and outstanding dedication to the welfare of their communities and to the high­est principles of the legal profession.

IBA: 2010 IBA Diversity Job Fair

For the third year in a row, the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Diversity Job Fair has successfully created employment opportunities in Indianapolis for a diverse set of students from around the country.

IBA Frontlines

IBA Frontlines for Oct. 13-26, 2010.