Latest News - The Indiana Lawyer

To overcome travel ban, some Americans taking cases to court

December 27, 2019 | Associated Press

Mohammed Hafar paced around the airport terminal — first to the monitor to check flight arrivals, then to the gift shop and lastly to the doors where international passengers were exiting. At last, out came Jana Hafar, his tall, slender, dark-haired teen daughter who had been forced by President Donald Trump’s travel ban to stay behind in Syria for months while her father, his wife and 10-year-old son started rebuilding their lives in Bloomfield, New Jersey, with no clear idea of when the family would be together again.

Despite conflicting statutes, COA affirms juvenile gun adjudication

December 26, 2019 | Dave Stafford

A juvenile dangerous possession of a firearm adjudication has been upheld by the Indiana Court of Appeals despite the finding that state statutes in play in his case are in conflict.

Reversal: Court wrongly denied evidence alleging guardianship mismanagement

December 26, 2019 | Dave Stafford

A Boone County trial court wrongly rejected a husband’s effort to show that the guardianship for his wife was being financially mismanaged and should be terminated, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Thursday, finding the judge overseeing the case failed to properly notify him of regular accountings.

Father who abandoned twins at age 5 loses appeal over college support

December 26, 2019 | Dave Stafford

A father who was found to have abandoned his twin sons when they were 5 years old after he divorced their mother was properly ordered to pay a share of his sons’ college expenses, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.

COA dismisses 4-year-old suit against nursing home

December 26, 2019 | Dave Stafford

A woman who sued a Noblesville nursing home over her mother’s care that she claimed was negligent failed to persuade the Indiana Court of Appeals to reinstate her civil lawsuit.

Roberts will tap his inner umpire in impeachment trial

December 26, 2019 | Associated Press

America’s last prolonged look at Chief Justice John Roberts came 14 years ago, when he told senators during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing that judges should be like baseball umpires, impartially calling balls and strikes. His hair grayer, the 64-year-old Roberts will return to the public eye as he makes the short trip from the Supreme Court to the Senate to preside over President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.

2 judges back on bench following fight-related suspensions

December 26, 2019 | Associated Press and IL Staff

Two southern Indiana judges are back on the bench after completing their suspensions for a downtown Indianapolis fight and double-shooting that followed a night of bar hopping. Clark Circuit Judge Brad Jacobs and Crawford Circuit Judge Sabrina Bell were reinstated to the bench Monday following 30-day suspensions that took effect Nov. 22.

Muncie mayor’s trial on federal charges delayed until May

December 26, 2019 | Associated Press

A central Indiana mayor’s federal trial on charges of accepting a bribe has been pushed back for several months. Defense attorneys for Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler requested the delay on the trial that had been scheduled to start Jan. 21.

Judge allowing lawsuit over Lake Monroe logging to proceed

December 26, 2019 | Associated Press

A judge is allowing a lawsuit to proceed against a property owner over logging activity on his land along southern Indiana’s Lake Monroe. The ruling by a Monroe County judge rejects an effort by property owner Joe Huff to have a lawsuit filed against him by county officials dismissed.

Illinois man gets 55 years in stabbing of cousin in Indiana

December 26, 2019 | Associated Press

An Illinois man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison in the 2017 murder of his cousin, who was stabbed 63 times and found near a road in Indiana. Derrick Lavelle Wandrick, 36, was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court Monday for the murder of 21-year-old David Lamont Strowder Jr.

Year in Review: Lifelong law school friends, aspiring star among 2019’s fascinating people

December 25, 2019 | IL Staff

The Indiana Lawyer staff found many engaging people in the past year and wrote about what attorneys are up to when they’re not on the clock. Here is a sampling of a few of the fascinating people we got to know a little better in 2019.

Year in Review: Baer death penalty reversal most-read IL story of 2019

December 25, 2019 | IL Staff

A federal appeals court’s reversal of Madison County killer Fredrick Baer’s death sentence was the most-read story on the Indiana Lawyer’s digital edition, www.theindianalawyer.com. Indiana Lawyer readers clicked on stories on our website more than 2.6 million times between Jan. 1 and Dec. 10, 2019, according to Google Analytics. Here are the 50 most-viewed story headlines during that time.

Champions of legal aid, civics education honored

December 25, 2019 | Marilyn Odendahl

Reflecting his engineering roots, J. Mark Robinson offers a straightforward solution for the civil legal puzzle: real lawyers in real courtrooms representing real people on real legal issues. The Indiana legal profession recognized Robinson and his commitment by honoring him with the Randall T. Shepard Award for Excellence in Pro Bono. Robinson and other select members of the legal profession and educators were honored for their work in either civil legal aid or civic education at the Indiana Bar Foundation’s 2019 Awards Dinner.

Year in Review: Several attorneys’ lawlessness, recklessness gave lawyers a bad name in past year

December 25, 2019 | Dave Stafford

Most Hoosier attorneys will never face a formal disciplinary complaint for misconduct. But in 2019, the bad behavior of a few lawyers resulted in professional sanctions or criminal charges. Here is a look back at some of the most egregious professional lowlights from the past year.

Shepard and Vaidik: Time for reform in the Indiana Bar Exam

December 25, 2019

The change we recommend would empower us with the best testing procedures that modern testing has been able to create — fairer and more reliable, and formulated by lawyers, judges and law teachers in collaboration with testing experts. It would also help us assure that the Indiana examination doesn’t work to create adverse results for minority applicants.

Year in Review: In 2019, troubles dominated legal news

December 25, 2019 | Dave Stafford

When those in the legal community look back at 2019, they may turn their heads and look forward instead. While the year had bright spots, several sordid sagas dominated the headlines.

Web Exclusive: Attorneys reflect on old, new holiday traditions

December 25, 2019 | Katie Stancombe

As 2019 draws to a close, Indiana lawyers and their families are celebrating the holiday season in numerous ways. Some enjoy traditional meals, gather for merriment or take care to make others feel welcomed and loved. Here are six Hoosier attorneys who shared their most memorable traditions during the winter season.

Panel recommends adopting Uniform Bar Exam to enhance fairness, reliability

December 25, 2019 | Marilyn Odendahl

With Indiana already incorporating two components from the Uniform Bar Examination into its own attorney admittance test, a study commission formed to review and recommend changes to state’s bar exam is advocating Indiana pick up the remaining component and transition completely to the UBE. But three commission members cautioned against the move, saying the state would be relinquishing control of its own test.

Justices agree to hear extended expungement-wait case

December 24, 2019 | IL Staff

Indiana Supreme Court justices have agreed to hear a case that sharply divided an appellate panel concerning whether minor felonies reduced to misdemeanor convictions should trigger new five-year waiting periods for individuals seeking a criminal expungement.

7th Circuit largely affirms for law enforcement in Carmel ‘pill mill’ case

December 24, 2019 | Katie Stancombe

Law enforcement who charged physicians and staff in an Indiana pill mill investigation will not face a suit from the cleared defendants, the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled, with the exception of an employee who worked as a parking lot attendant.

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