Cy pres from Celadon judgment benefitting legal aid
The remainder of a multi-million-dollar judgment won by Cohen & Malad against the former Celadon Trucking Services is providing welcome support to civil legal aid in Indiana.
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Southern Indiana school settles disability investigation over restraints
A school system based in Princeton that was investigated after a complaint that it used seclusion and restraints on students with disabilities has settled with the United States Department of Justice.
Indianapolis man sentenced for threatening, sending dead rat to ex-wife
An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to four years and 10 months in federal prison for threatening his ex-wife over several years and mailing a dead rat to her Florida home. Prosecutors said the man had engaged in a four-year-long campaign of harassment against his ex-wife.
Congress set to confirm Biden’s electoral win over Trump
President Donald Trump’s extraordinary effort to overturn the presidential election is going before Congress as lawmakers convene for a joint session to confirm the Electoral College vote won by Joe Biden.
Warnock makes history with Senate win as Democrats near control
Democrat Raphael Warnock won one of Georgia’s two Senate runoffs Wednesday, becoming the first Black senator in his state’s history and putting the Senate majority within the party’s reach.
Web Exclusive: Garcia first Hispanic judge named to Southern District bench
In a Q&A with Indiana Lawyer, new Southern District of Indiana Mario Garcia said he anticipates utilizing his background and diverse legal experiences to help people resolve their legal issues quickly and justly.
Veteran pro bono leader Fennell joins Taft
As a new year starts, Monica Fennell, longtime pro bono advocate and past executive director of the former Indiana Pro Bono Commission, is stepping into a new role as pro bono director for Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where she will coordinate the volunteer legal work of the more than 600 attorneys in the firm’s 11 offices.
Lawyer in charge: IU McKinney grad Tim Cook is first non-CPA to lead Katz Sapper & Miller
Indianapolis native Tim Cook made history at the start of 2021, riding his law degree into the C-suite and becoming the new CEO and president of Katz, Sapper & Miller, Indianapolis’ largest certified public accounting firm. He stepped into the leadership position Jan. 1 and is the first non-CPA to lead the 78-year-old national firm.
Courts not seeking more funds in 2021
Given the economic toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on Indiana’s budget, the Indiana Supreme Court is not requesting additional funding in the next biennial budget that will be drafted during the 2021 Legislative session. Instead, the court is asking the General Assembly to keep funding steady and has reverted funds to the state through pandemic-related savings.
Nursing home patient, family seek to enforce rights as to care
A case pending before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals brought on behalf of a northwest Indiana man suffering from dementia asks whether a patient in a long-term care facility can enforce rights under the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act.
Hammerle on… “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “The Midnight Sky”
Movie reviewer Robert Hammerle has warm words for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and finds deep meaning in “The Midnight Sky.”
Pandemic pressures legal aid
Looming evictions with so many Americans unable to pay their rent have been at the forefront of concerns, but legal aid offices and pro bono attorneys see other issues on the horizon. They expect more filings for bankruptcy and guardianships, and they believe more people will reach out for legal assistance with problems connected with consumer debt and domestic violence. Underpinning their ability to help is the need for money.
Hull: Trump election suits pose challenge for legal profession, bar
On Dec. 3, 2020, the group Lawyers Defending American Democracy issued a “Call for Bar Condemnation and Investigation of President Trump’s Campaign Lawyers for Subverting American Democracy.” I am one of the hundreds of lawyers who signed. I did so not only because of the present constitutional crisis, but for an additional individual reason: to personally honor the valiant work of the lawyers in the NAACP Legal and Education Fund Inc. and to mark a distinction between their achievements and the damage to our profession inflicted by these recent worthless cases.
The fight to unite: International adoptions suffer under COVID-19 restrictions
International adoptions were already on the decline, lawyers say, and there’s concern that COVID could further reduce them. However, there are ways to unite families even as a pandemic keeps borders closed.
Applegate: What to do after an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis
The diagnosis is in. Unfortunately, you or a loved one is diagnosed with the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Obviously, the first step is to work with your doctor to slow the progression. However, there are legal steps you need to take as quickly as possible.
Despite tech, court reporters say they’re here to stay
Even as digital recording is grows, charged sentiment surrounds the use of artificial intelligence in court reporting, industry experts say. According to some, there’s a middle ground to be found: embracing technology to increase efficiency while also relying on humans for nuance.
CHINS filings stabilize after surge in recent years
Filings for child in need of services and termination of parental rights cases have swung in opposite directions in the past few years, according to statistics released recently by the Indiana Supreme Court.
Stafford: American legacies, for good or ill, now forming
A few lawyers have gone to court since Donald Trump lost, attempting a legal coup arguing that 74 million is greater than 81 million. By no coincidence, the votes these lawyers seek to disqualify — to vilify — are almost without exception those cast by Black voters. I take comfort, though, knowing the American rule of law, such as it is, stands because men and women of goodwill guard it.
Indiana Court Decisions – Dec. 16-29, 2020
Read Indiana appellate court decisions from the most recent reporting period.
Soshnick: The income conundrum in Indiana divorce law
One of the perplexing areas of Indiana divorce law is “income.” At first blush, that vexation seems out of place. Upon closer inspection, the confusion is understandable. Why? The reason is that there frequently are disputes as to whether payments are income or property in divorce cases.