After a vulnerable Indianapolis man was put out of his home that he unwittingly signed over to a relative, lawyers helped him fight back against exploitation. The execution of a man on Alabama's death row hit home for Indiana lawyers who had sought justice for the man for years. Foster families may not get standing in court in child-welfare cases this year, but numerous other DCS reform bills appear poised to pass the Indiana General Assembly.
Legislation moving through the Indiana Statehouse takes aim at predatory real estate practices, seeking to tame the "Wild West" nature of some land-sale contracts. The United States Supreme Court answered some questions in a landmark Indiana civil forfeiture decision, but other questions — and cases — remain. A legal aid initiative started in 2016 has since helped improve the lives of hundreds of clients with disabilities.
At the Indianapolis Museum of Art, manager of rights and reproductions and resident intellectual property law expert Anne Young views art through a legal lens. Should Indiana be required to provide lawyers to minors in the child welfare system at critical hearings about their future, as 30 states do? Advocates who sued the state say yes. The Indiana State Bar Association is launching a novel program that aims to provide Hoosier attorneys a new option for health insurance coverage.
More than 46 years after the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, the divide over abortion rights remains as wide as ever, as demonstrated by dueling rallies at the Indiana Statehouse. As a consequence of the recent federal government shutdown, a backlog of immigration cases only worsened, leaving cases unresolved, hearings missed and clients uncertain. For the first time, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals turned on cameras during oral arguments, capturing video in case involving Purdue University.
With changes sought for how the Department of Child Services deals with CHINS cases, foster care, caseloads and other issues, Indiana lawmakers have introduced at least 25 bills aimed at the agency. The case of an Indiana inmate who has spent a total of 28 years in solitary confinement is shining a spotlight on prisoner isolation. Indianapolis law firms are hiring — and they aren't just casting their nets for highly prized laterals, according to several firms.
Ersal Ozdemir, the owner of the Indy Eleven, has big plans for a stadium surrounded by housing, retail and office space—but where to put it? Mickey Shuey explores the most likely candidates around Indianapolis. Also in this week’s issue, Susan Orr reports that FullBeauty Brands, a retailer of plus-sized apparel with a deep history in Indianapolis, has a debt load of $1.3 billion and is about to declare bankruptcy. And Anthony Schoettle asks Daniel Jones—the son of famed tech entrepreneur Scott Jones—about his plans to take market share from Uber and Lyft with an unusual approach to ride-sharing.
In this week’s issue, Mickey Shuey reveals the sweeping changes proposed for Indiana’s meagerly funded state tourism bureau, in hopes of boosting the dollars available for marketing and attracting new visitors. Greg Andrews explains how James Burkhart, the former CEO of nursing home giant American Senior Communities, is trying to get his felony conviction for fraud thrown out while he serves a nearly 10-year prison sentence. And Lindsey Erdody has IBJ’s annual accounting of the biggest philanthropic gifts across the state. The big winner for 2018: sleepy Wabash College.
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.