ACLU files Wabash County Jail overcrowding suit
Raising allegations of unconstitutional conditions, the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana has filed a lawsuit against Wabash County for “chronic” jail overcrowding.
Class action
Articles
Birth certificate ruling brings relief
In a cruel twist, Crystal and Noell Allen discovered even though Indiana prohibited them from being listed as parents on their twins’ birth certificates, the state did allow both mothers to be identified as parents on the babies’ death certificates. The couple prevailed in court, but their battle to be legally recognized as parents — along with other women in same-sex marriages — may not be over.
Lawsuit against IU over dorm mold given class-action status
A judge has granted class-action status to a lawsuit alleging Indiana University breached its contract by providing substandard living assignments to thousands of students staying in residential halls where mold was found.
Dismissal upheld in Steak ‘n Shake parent shareholder dispute
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the grant of a motion to dismiss a lawsuit stemming from a shareholder dispute involving the parent company of Steak ‘n Shake.
Patients sue Goshen Hospital over possible disease exposure
More than 1,000 surgical patients are suing a northern Indiana hospital after being notified that a sterilization failure could have exposed them to deadly infections. The lawsuit alleges the patients were potentially exposed to hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV.
Movie featuring Taft lawyer’s fight against chemical contamination now in theaters
A major motion picture highlighting an attorney known for defending communities against one of the world’s most powerful chemical manufacturers is now in select theaters ahead of its national Thanksgiving weekend release.
Judge rebuffs bid for class of all 91 Indiana prosecutors in abortion clinic case
An out-of-state abortion provider who was granted permission to open a South Bend clinic last month after the state denied a permit lost its bid Tuesday to certify a defendant class made up of every elected prosecuting attorney in Indiana.
Justices split, vacate transfer in class action against car dealership
A divided Indiana Supreme Court decided not to take an appeal after originally granting transfer to a class action brought by angry customers against a Northern Indiana car dealership.
Justices to hear car dealer fee class action, clerk corruption case
The Indiana Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases last week including a class action against a Mishawaka car dealership. The court rejected about four dozen other appeal petitions, including a child in need of services case that sparked outspoken division between the justices.
Judge certifies class action in Henry County Jail overcrowding suit
Current and former inmates at the Henry County Jail will proceed as a class in a federal lawsuit broadly alleging overcrowded, unconstitutional and inhumane conditions at the facility in New Castle.
7th Circuit debt collection ruling creates split among circuits
A woman who wasn’t informed she needed to respond to a debt collection letter in writing lost at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, whose ruling that the collection agency simply made a mistake that didn’t cause her any injury created a split among circuit courts. Three judges authored a published dissent from a subsequent denial of rehearing en banc.
7th Circuit vacates ruling in light of new uniform-rental law
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated in part a Southern District Court’s decision, asking it to reconsider whether an amended Indiana wage-deduction law could be retroactively applied to claims made against a former employer for withholding employee wages to rent work uniforms.
Steak n Shake in growing legal battle over overtime pay
Steak n Shake is on the hook for a $7.7 million judgment after a jury found the Indianapolis-based burger chain improperly failed to pay overtime to 286 restaurant managers in the St. Louis market.
Supreme Court sends dispute over Fosamax back to lower court
The Supreme Court is sending a dispute between drugmaker Merck and patients who used its bone-strengthening drug Fosamax back to a lower court.
Holcomb signs bill that loosens car dealership rules on document-prep fees
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill this week that loosens the rules under which car dealerships can charge consumers document fees, a practice that a flurry of recent class-action lawsuits have alleged is unfair.
Supreme Court backs businesses, curbs class arbitration
An ideologically divided U.S. Supreme Court gave businesses more power to channel disputes into individual arbitration proceedings, siding with a lighting retailer trying to prevent its employees from pressing group claims stemming from a phishing attack.
Local auto group hit with class-action suit over document fee
A class-action lawsuit filed last week against Andy Mohr Automotive Group alleges the Indiana company violated a state law prohibiting deceptive consumer sales tactics.
7th Circuit case highlights confusion over online home value ‘Zestimates’
The 7th Circuit both rejected proposed class action lawsuit against the website Zillow, but Realtors and real estate attorneys still have concerns about whether its “Zestimates” are unnecessarily misleading. Zillow, however, insists its estimation practices are transparent and legal, thus making their home valuations a beneficial tool for buyers and sellers.
Appeals court allows class action against Mishawaka car dealer to continue
A Mishawaka car dealership failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that it was wrongly denied its motion to dismiss a class action complaint from several angry customers after the panel found general allegations of uncured and incurable acts against the dealership were enough for dismissal.
7th Circuit reverses decertification of used car dealer class
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a district court’s decision decertifying a class in a used auto dealership’s case when it found the stark change of mind lacked sufficient reasoning.