Ready or not, the era of e-filing begins July 1 for everyone submitting court documents in Hamilton County and in Indiana’s appellate courts. There’s evidence that despite the buildup over recent months, many lawyers and filers may be caught off guard. Also happening July 1, many new Indiana laws take effect. Read the list of new laws here. Prosecutors say that ethical rules will prohibit them from releasing video from police body cameras in ongoing criminal investigations.

Lawyers who practice before Indiana’s Tax Court see big problems as the median time for cases to be decided increased from about one year to almost 2.6 years since 2011. The Indiana Supreme Court will decide whether records of civil forfeiture can be expunged. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is considering a proposed rule change that would mandate attorneys provide pro bono representation.

The 20 graduates who walked across the commencement stage May 14 and received their J.D. degrees were part of a historic day for Indiana Tech Law School as they were the first to graduate from the state’s fifth law school. But faculty and graduates acknowledged that the graduation, while a significant milestone, is not the end of their work. Darryl Pinkin's freedom has been a long, emotional battle for one IU professor and former and current students. With Prince's intestate death, estate lawyers see the need to educate people on creating a will.

As the Indy 500 prepares to celebrates its 100th running, the law firm that's been a partner for most of those races is also marking a milestone. Newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Slaughter brings a remarkable background but confesses he's facing some learning curves. The statewide crisis in CHINS cases continues to strain judicial resources in juvenile courts with no end in sight to children in need.

Local providers are concerned about billing practices of some national companies in which the companies give the lawyers who hire them a discount and making up for the loss by charging the opposing lawyer a much higher rate. An Indianapolis attorney turned his midlife "crisis" into a "dream" by recording a studio album with a little help from his friends. In Justice Brent Dickson's last oral argument, the Indiana Supreme Court weighs to the duty of care for house party hosts.

The ACLU of Indiana has received more than $1.4 million from the state in legal fees since Pence took office, thanks to successful constitutional challenges to hot-button issues. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 29 issued a design patent for the Garden Tower 2, created in Indiana, and other patents are pending for an invention that allows up to 50 plants to grow in a compact space that would fit on the most modest apartment patio. The recent 51 percent bar passage rate for February 2016 test-takers is the lowest since 2002.

Two Indianapolis attorneys who led a team that drafted Indiana’s contract with IBM said they ‘believed all along’ the Indiana Supreme Court would find the company breached its agreement to overhaul the state’s welfare system. A circuit court judge has had harsh opinions for Social Security benefit denials, but attorneys are hesitant to call the remands a trend. A rewrite of Indianapolis' zoning ordinances allows secondary dwellings and encourages denser neighborhoods.

Courtroom artists have provided the images that go along with some of the most famous events in legal history. When judges prohibit cameras and video equipment at trials and hearings, television stations and newspapers turn to artists to provide the visuals. A recent study shows "problematic" use of alcohol by attorneys. Thanks to the new "gig economy," disputes are increasing over who is an employee and who is an independent contractor.

The personal and professional papers of attorneys Freeman and Willard Ransom show their work to end discrimination. The Ransom family recently donated the collection to the Indiana Historical Society. Certain appellate court filings will be available online beginning April 1. Two judges and a litigator have been selected as Indiana Supreme Court finalists. <

Nine judges, four lawyers in private practice, a state lawmaker and a state attorney are semifinalists to replace Justice Brent Dickson on the Indiana Supreme Court. A lawsuit filed by a Virginia-based nonprofit could upend civil forfeiture in Indiana. The American Bar Association passed a resolution supporting the Uniform Bar Exam, which some tout as helpful for attorneys to be able to practice where the work is.