A Tennessee alcohol case brewing at the U.S. Supreme Court could spill over to Indiana laws requiring liquor retailers to be residents of the Hoosier state. After years of planning and transition to get Indiana trial courts on the same digital page, the push for statewide e-filing is hitting the homestretch. In the Indiana Statehouse, legislation would set the stage for family law courts to permit visitation for grandparents and great-grandparents under certain circumstances.
Indiana Lawyer takes a look back at the year's top legal news of 2018 — a year that was dominated by the sexual misconduct allegations against Attorney General Curtis Hill and the continuing aftermath. Hoosier lawyers who work with out-of-state companies or in arrangements the state views as “license rentals" could face potential disciplinary consequences. As scooter crashes and injuries mount, so do questions about liability and whether the state should regulate the new mode of transportation.
The seizure of a Marion man's $42,000 Land Rover is at issue in a case before the United States Supreme Court that could have nationwide ramifications for civil forfeitures. With passage rates falling and tests around the country changing, the Indiana Bar Exam is facing a test of its own as a study committee explores possible changes. Multiple lawsuits brought in federal court by lawyers and civic groups are challenging Indiana voting laws and election regulations.
Despite prior vocal commitments to address sexual harassment at the Indiana Statehouse, lawmakers quietly advanced policies that critics say fail to address key concerns. After numerous cities and towns and 27 states filed suits in response to the opioid epidemic, Indiana sued just one pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma. Years after criminal cases against them in the death of a relative unraveled, members of an Evansville family will proceed with a civil rights lawsuit alleging police fabricated evidence against them and coerced confessions.
An Indianapolis attorney couple who encountered heartbreak caring for an infant they hoped to adopt is seeking changes for Indiana foster parents. An Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law professor argues in a new book that regulation of lawyer speech is undermining the judiciary. Proponents of medical marijuana in the General Assembly are optimistic about their chance of success next year.
Victims of Attorney General Curtis Hill’s sexual misconduct want more than to be believed. Four women have filed notice of a lawsuit against Hill and the state after a special prosecutor said he believed the victims but declined to file criminal charges on their claims that Hill groped or inappropriately touched them. A longtime leader in the state's judiciary has been tapped as the Indiana Supreme Court's new chief administrative officer. After nearly 300 passed the Indiana Bar Exam in July, new lawyers who took the oath were told at an admission ceremony to remember lessons from home.
At least six Indiana colleges and universities are facing lawsuits from students who were accused of sexual misconduct. The suits claim the schools' processes were unfair or biased against the accused. Lawyers might soon be required to take continuing legal education courses on diversity and inclusion and mental health and substance abuse — recommendations approved by the Indiana State Bar Association House of Delegates after spirited debate. Judges and lawyers say the political nature of the hearings confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States were not what the Framers intended.
Kenneth Todd planned to serve one term in the Bloomington Courthouse. Now he's preparing to retire after more than 40 years as Monroe Circuit Court judge. Around the state, a network of lawyers is growing to help domestic violence victims meet their civil court needs. Feeling a little off after your last meal? A expert litigator explains how to tell if it might be food poisoning.
An Indianapolis real estate company is facing multiple lawsuits over a rent-to-buy program offering homes in need of repair to buyers who can't get traditional financing. A legal aid attorney describes seeing would-be homeowners' dreams turn to tears. After years of study of Indiana's public defender system, a host of changes are being proposed. It's tough to become a judge in Lebanon. Internationally, just 34 of more than 1,000 test-takers passed. One is a former IU McKinney master of laws student.
James Sweeney's confirmation as the first judge in eight years to the Indiana Southern District Court came in a rare display of Senate bipartisanship, elevating an attorney known for his collegial spirit and can-do attitude. As a lawsuit seeking to privatize the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan proceeds toward the U.S. Supreme Court, an answered question is, who's doing the suing? A smartphone privacy decision could be a landmark ruling on how technology impacts rights.