Indiana AG Todd Rokita alleges inflated COVID-19 stats
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita accused public health entities across the state of submitting “faulty” and “unsound” data when it came to COVID-19’s death toll and positivity rate.
coronavirus
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The verdict on Zoom: New report says remote hearings provide relief from traditional court challenges
A team of researchers produced a new report, “Accessing Justice with Zoom: Experiences and Outcomes in Online Civil Courts,” which found more than 80% of unrepresented litigant respondents were able to access online civil court proceedings remotely.
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2022 in review: Honorable mentions
While the “top stories” of each year are usually easy to define, there are always other stories that, while perhaps not as high-profile, are equally as important to our readers.
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Blurred lines: Study finds lawyers want more flexibility, but remote work creating imbalances
Earlier this month, Clio released its 2022 Legal Trends Report. What the study found is remote work “has brought new opportunities for flexibility, but has also contributed to the breakdown of work-life balance.”
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Web Exclusive: COVID-19 vaccine mandate concerns nearly ‘moot’ for Indiana employers
After more than two years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Indianapolis employment attorney Melissa Macchia predicts that if the issue of vaccine mandates is not moot at this point for employers, it’s close.
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Articles
SCOTUS rejects appeal from 3 GOP House members over $500 mask fines
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected appeals from three Republican U.S. House members who challenged fines for not wearing face coverings on the House floor in 2021.
Not wearing a mask during COVID-19 health emergency isn’t a free speech right, appeals court says
A federal appeals court shot down claims Monday that New Jersey residents’ refusal to wear face masks at school board meetings during the COVID-19 outbreak constituted protected speech under the First Amendment.
Mizzell: Economic legacy of the pandemic: Challenges, opportunities
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout have posed serious challenges to Indiana businesses, lenders and consumers.
IN Supreme Court affirms for Ball State in student’s COVID breach case
The Indiana Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of Ball State University in case in which a student sued for breach of contract and unjust enrichment when classes switched to only-online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hoosiers gave ‘Zoom court’ high marks
For thousands of Hoosiers undergoing civil proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote hearings or “Zoom court” allowed them to attend safely and conveniently.
On COVID-19 response, Holcomb says he has ‘no regrets’
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said he is comfortable with the difficult decisions his administration made to shut down schools, businesses and public gatherings during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Great Grift: More than $200 billion in COVID-19 aid may have been stolen, federal watchdog says
More than $200 billion may have been stolen from two large COVID-19 relief initiatives, according to new estimates from a federal watchdog.
Florida couple with IN ties charged with more than $2M in COVID-19 relief fraud
A southwest Florida couple with ties to Indiana has been charged with stealing more than $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds and using the money to buy boats, new businesses and other luxury items.
Federal courts enter ‘grace period’ to phase out remote audio access as COVID emergency ends
The U.S. federal judiciary has entered a 120-day “grace period” to phase out the use of remote public audio access to civil and bankruptcy proceedings, put in place during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
As public health emergency ends, pandemic-era support programs have already been fading away
The formal end of the national Public Health Emergency on Thursday is largely a symbolic and psychological step. But behind the scenes, several core aspects of America’s pandemic-era emergency safety net are also coming to a close.
Inability to travel during pandemic gave man right to rescind Florida rental contract, split COA rules in reversal
An Indiana man prohibited by state order from traveling to a Florida vacation home during the COVID-19 pandemic had a right to rescind his rental contract, a split Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled Wednesday in reversing a small claims court’s decision.
Clark Co. nurse in mask case avoids jail time with plea deal
A southern Indiana nurse facing a criminal charge for allegedly removing a nursing home resident’s oxygen mask hours before his death from COVID-19 will avoid jail time under a plea bargain.
Justices headed to UIndy next month for oral arguments in Ball State COVID class action
The Indiana Supreme Court will visit the University of Indianapolis on April 11 to hold oral arguments in a case involving a student who filed a class action lawsuit against Ball State University for COVID-related closures.
COVID-related closures not ‘physical loss’ under insurance policy, 7th Circuit again affirms
Continuing a trend in Indiana courts, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has once again ruled that COVID-related business closures do not qualify as “physical losses” eligible for insurance coverage.
Coronavirus origins still a mystery 3 years into pandemic
A crucial question has eluded governments and health agencies around the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began: Did the virus originate in animals or leak from a Chinese lab?
Supreme Court won’t hear arguments in Title 42 case as planned
The Supreme Court says it will not hear arguments as planned March 1 in a case involving a Trump-era immigration policy used several millions of times over the past three years to quickly turn away migrants at the border.
Indiana Repertory Theatre again loses bid for COVID-related ‘physical loss’ coverage
The Court of Appeals of Indiana has once again rejected a request by the Indiana Repertory Theatre to hold that COVID-related closures during the height of the pandemic equated to “physical loss” under the theater’s insurance policy.
US proposes once-a-year COVID shots for most Americans
U.S. health officials want to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like the annual flu shot.
Jury awards millions in PPE dispute: Illumination International says collecting money will be a ‘challenge’
An Indiana company that ordered more than 700,000 boxes of medical gloves won a multimillion-dollar verdict against the supplier that failed to deliver, but the supplier’s general counsel claimed, “Everyone was a victim here.”