SCOTUS extends telephone arguments through January
The United States Supreme Court said last week it will continue to hear arguments by telephone through at least January because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Ruling barring Abercrombie & Fitch from closing Simon stores upheld
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed a preliminary injunction for Simon Property Group that prevented retail-clothing store Abercrombie & Fitch from permanently closing stores in dozens of Simon malls.
Justices amend rules governing firm names, letterheads
The Indiana Supreme Court has issued an order amending a rule of the court concerning firm names and letterheads.
Proposal would recognize Indian orders in state court
The history of Native American culture is rooted deep in the Hoosier State — after all, the name “Indiana” translates to “land of the Indians.” The Indiana General Assembly is considering taking another step to recognize that heritage through legislation that would uphold the validity of tribal court judgments.
Disciplinary Actions
Read who has been reinstated, reprimanded and suspended during the most recent reporting period.
Indiana to switch to Uniform Bar Exam in 2021
Indiana has decided to join the growing majority of states and adopt the Uniform Bar Exam in July 2021, according to an announcement Tuesday from the Indiana Supreme Court. Justices also announced Tuesday that the February 2021 Bar Exam will be given remotely.
AG Hill ordered to pay $19K in disciplinary costs
The Indiana Supreme Court has ordered Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill to pay more than $19,000 in expenses in a disciplinary case stemming from allegations he groped a state lawmaker and three other women during a party.
Judge halts federal execution after lawyers contract virus
A federal judge is temporarily blocking the federal government’s plan to execute the first female death row inmate in almost six decades after her attorneys contracted the coronavirus visiting her in prison.
Justices permit remote attorney disciplinary proceedings
Indiana Supreme Court justices in a Wednesday order provided instructions to hearing officers and parties in attorney disciplinary proceedings that have not yet proceeded to final hearing, perhaps most significantly permitting remote proceedings due to the continuing pandemic.
Justices split 3-2 in rejecting landowner appeal over dam repairs
Residents of a Miami County lake community lost their bid to make their case to the Indiana Supreme Court that the county, not property owners, are responsible for fixing six crumbling dams.
Southern District to halt trials, naturalizations due to COVID-19
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana announced Friday it is suspending jury trials and cancelling naturalization ceremonies in response to the continuing surge of COVID-19 cases in the state.
Order: Deponent’s presence not necessary to allow testimony
An order issued by the Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday makes clear that certain people deposed in civil cases don’t have to be present for their sworn deposition testimony to be introduced in court.
Indiana high court won’t hear appeal in girl’s crash death
Indiana’s high court won’t be taking up a woman’s appeal of her convictions in her 6-year-old daughter’s death in a 2017 highway crash.
Indiana Southern District bankruptcy petition fees to increase
Filing fees for bankruptcy petitions in the Southern District of Indiana will increase in less than a month, the bankruptcy court has announced.
Justices hand down ‘more aggressive’ guidance on court COVID operations amid outbreaks
Court-related outbreaks of the novel coronavirus mean more aggressive approaches are needed for Indiana’s trial courts when it comes to in-person operations during the pandemic, according to a new order from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Immigration overload: Court backlog of 1.2 million cases sparks fears, frustration and calls for change
Immigration attorneys say the lengthening time between hearings and the growing delays are needlessly clogging the docket, causing backlogs to skyrocket and putting client due process at risk. Since fiscal year 2017, the number of pending cases nationwide has more than doubled from 629,051 to 1.26 million for fiscal year 2020.
Court orders FDA assessment of Indiana-raised modified salmon
A federal court judge ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday to conduct an environmental assessment of genetically modified salmon that he said was required for the agency’s approval of the fish.
Morgan County man’s order to pay $16k for property affirmed, COA rules
A man who failed to pay more than $15,000 for property he agreed to purchase could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals on Thursday that he was wrongly ordered to hand over the money.
Justices to hear oil company’s appeal of denied insurance ransomware claim
The Indiana Supreme Court has agreed to hear an oil company’s appeal of a ruling against its claim for insurance coverage after it paid a ransom to hackers to regain control of its computer systems.
Supreme Court issues flurry of last-minute election orders
At first blush, the difference in outcomes at the U.S. Supreme Court in cases regarding the counting of absentee ballots seems odd because the high court typically takes up issues to harmonize the rules across the country. But elections are largely governed by states, and the rules differ from one state to the next.