The Center for Victim and Human Rights opened 10 years ago this month, and the scope of their work only continues to grow. Schools across Indiana have recorded a spike in threats of violence, as law enforcement cracks down on juveniles' threats. Officials warn flood victims in the 35 counties currently under a state of emergency to be wary of scammers.
A tiny southern Indiana settlement had a big influence celebrated by federal courts marking Black History Month. The legislature is not waiting on Gov. Eric Holcomb's DCS report, instead introducing more than a dozen agency-related bills this session. A McKinney professor traveled to Cambodia recently to train judges on a new set of commercial laws.
Deep divisions over hate crimes legislation led Senate committee leaders to pull the bill from a vote last week. Civil forfeiture reform is advancing in the legislature, but not without continuing concerns over due process. Career prospects for paralegals are twice as good as the average projected growth rate across all professions over the next decade, federal labor statistics say.
Indiana's system for processing child support payments relies on 1980s technology so antiquated that those rely on it fear it may collapse. Lake County lawmakers and East Chicago residents are fighting to keep cleanup a priority at a lead- and arsenic-contaminated EPA Superfund site. Chief Justice Loretta Rush acknowledged challenges posed by the opioid epidemic but said in her State of the Judiciary address that state courts are looking toward a hope-filled future.
On a trip to Saudi Arabia for the wedding of a former exchange student they hosted, Indianapolis attorneys Monica Foster and Bob Hammerle found it’s a different world, yet many things are the same, including cross-cultural family ties. The departure of Mary Beth Bonaventura as director of the Indiana Department of Child Services surprised several family law attorneys and social service providers. The former juvenile judge was a strong advocate for children and brought valuable experience to her tenure, but DCS continues to struggle against internal and external challenges. As sexual harassment allegations rise, experts say the law provides answers for when conduct crosses the line from objectionable to actionable, though sometimes it's hard to prove.
2017's top legal news was dominated by the closure of one law school and the uncertain fate of another, along with big changes in federal and state courts. Looking into 2018, law firms will focus on core strengths and retaining talent, a leading consulting firm predicts. And at Indiana Legal Services, a new project is helping other nonprofits get the legal assist they need to succeed in serving indigent clients.
With six pardons in one day recently, Gov. Eric Holcomb doubled the unusually low number of reprieves granted in four years by former Gov. Mike Pence. After criticism from a national organization and multiple lawsuits challenging Indiana’s public defender system, Indiana lawmakers and legal stakeholders are looking for ways to improve it. Attorney Becca Polak is at the wheel of TradeRev, a business that enables car dealers to buy and sell vehicles digitally, and she's motivated to drive big plans.
With a 138-year history, Valparaiso Law School is not the only legal education institution getting crushed by declining enrollment and falling revenue, but it is likely the oldest to publicly announce its future is uncertain. A newspaper's efforts to uproot corruption by putting the spotlight on those who speak in favor of convicted Sheriff John Buncich at his sentencing has drawn the opposition of the Lake County Bar Association. Lawmakers who support legalizing medical marijuana are opposed by Gov. Eric Holcomb, Attorney General Curtis Hill and the state's prosecutors.
Three Indiana law firms are among the 200 fastest-growing in the nation, according to a recent ranking. A nearly $1 million CHINS pilot project aims to foster stability and a sense of security for Indianapolis children in need. Evansville is gearing up to host the 2020 Mock Trial National Championship.