3 finalists named for Allen County judicial position
The Allen Superior Court Judicial Nominating Commission announced Monday the three judicial officers are finalists to fill an upcoming vacancy due to Judge Charles F. Pratt’s pending retirement.
Allen County
Articles
JNC recertifies 2 senior judges
Two senior judges have been recertified for another year of service in Indiana. Cynthia Amber of Fort Wayne and Carol Jane Orbison of Indianapolis were recertified as senior judges in a Feb. 25 order.
Parents’ gender-marker change requests for transgender kids splits COA
Two Indiana trial courts must reconsider parents’ requests to change their children’s birth certificate gender markers, a majority of the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, finding parents have statutory authority to request the changes for their minor transgender children. A dissenting judge, however, opined that Wednesday’s decision was a judicial overreach into legislative powers.
Allen County judge applications open as Pratt retires
The pending retirement of Allen Superior Judge Charles F. Pratt from the court’s Family Relations Division will create a judicial vacancy, and qualified candidates have until 1 p.m. March 10 to apply, the Indiana Supreme Court announced Friday.
Supreme Court creates rule for appointing commercial court judges
As Indiana’s commercial court program expands, the Indiana Supreme Court is implementing new rules to govern the appointment of judges to the specialized dockets.
Indiana commercial courts branching out
Indiana’s commercial court docket is expanding for the first time, with four new venues opening in 2021. Hamilton, Madison, St. Joseph and Vigo counties will join Allen, Elkhart, Floyd, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh counties in offering the specialized business dockets.
Huntington Co. prosecutor to lead prosecutors’ association in 2021
Huntington County Prosecutor Amy Richison will serve as president of the Association of Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Inc. in 2021, the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council has announced.
Justices certify retiring jurists as new senior judges
Numerous longtime Indiana jurists were certified as first-time senior judges last week by the Indiana Supreme Court.
Allen Superior Court halts jury trials until out of COVID-19 ‘red’ status
The Allen Superior Court is halting jury trials until at least Jan. 11 due to the ongoing surge in COVID-19 infections in the community, the court announced Tuesday.
Indiana commercial courts expanding to 4 more counties
The Indiana judiciary is expanding its roster of commercial courts, adding four more counties to the program that started in 2016. The Indiana Supreme Court announced the new venues handling the specialized dockets Monday.
Lawsuit settled over Indiana sheriff’s shoving of teenager
A federal lawsuit over allegations that the Allen County sheriff shoved a 15-year-old boy after drinking alcohol at a festival has been dismissed after the county agreed to a settlement.
Web Exclusive: Lawyers adjust holiday plans as COVID cases surge
As coronavirus cases across the Hoosier state spiked to record levels in recent weeks and winter quickly approached, many attorneys made the hard decision to break with cherished holiday traditions and distance themselves from family and friends for the holidays.
Creating new options for future recovery: Allen County debuts OWI Court
As problem-solving courts continue to expand across Indiana, Allen County is introducing a new program into the state’s suite of specialty courts. Launched in August, the Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Court in northeastern Indiana is the first of its kind in the state.
Indiana county OKs fining businesses violating mask order as COVID cases soar
Businesses in a northern Indiana county could now face fines if they fail to enforce a county mask order requiring employees of businesses to wear masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The move comes as the number of Indiana counties having a heightened risk of COVID-19 rose.
Indiana COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations surge to another high
The Indiana State Department of Health on Thursday reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for the second day in a row.
Fort Wayne cabaret clubs lose appeal against city ordinance
Several Fort Wayne adult cabarets could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that an ordinance proposed by the city would pose irreparable harm to their businesses if enforced.
Judicial selection takes varied shapes in Indiana
There’s more than one way to become a judge in Indiana, and with Election Day less than a week away, here is a look at the various judicial selection methods in Indiana and how judges and lawyers view them.
Web Exclusive: Jury social media cautions revamped
Twenty years ago, most people learned about major court cases and trials from newspapers or local television stations. But with myriad online distribution channels and social media available at virtually everyone’s fingertips, staying up to date with the latest news has become and more accessible than ever.
Stafford: Institutional racism and judicial merit selection in Indiana
I’m by no means the first to suggest that merit selection systems may produce biased results, and people far smarter than me make compelling arguments both ways. But as applied in Indiana, it’s hard to argue this is not a biased system, especially in Marion County.
Indiana reports 2,519 more COVID-19 cases, another rise in hospitalizations
The Indiana State Department of Health on Friday reported 2,519 new COVID-19 cases, the third-highest number reported so far in the daily report. The seven-day average of daily cases reached the highest point since the pandemic began.