Authorities: Suspect in 2017 Texas slaying caught in Indiana
Authorities say a suspect in the New Year's Eve 2017 shooting death of a woman in Texas has been captured in northwestern Indiana.
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Suit blames sorority in death of college athlete from Indiana
The mother of a player from Indiana on the Northwestern University women’s basketball team who died in 2017 has sued a sorority claiming hazing by its members led to her daughter's suicide.
SEC wins order to depose Canadian suspect in nearly $1M penny stock con
A Canadian accused in an Indiana federal court of a “scalping” scheme to fraudulently drive up the price of a penny stock while selling off his own shares for a profit of almost $1 million must answer questions in a U.S. deposition before the Securities and Exchange Commission, a judge has ruled. The SEC accuses Michael Skerry of New Westminster, British Columbia, of executing the scheme, in which regulators allege he profited by about $950,000.
Justices question traumatic brain injury claims in triple murder
Counsel for a man sentenced to death for two separate murders and 65 years in prison for a third argued his representation was ineffective in the first two cases when prior counsel failed to adequately investigate and present evidence of a traumatic brain injury the man had sustained.
COA finds reasonable suspicion despite errant plate check
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a motion to suppress evidence when it found that despite a motorist proving a vehicle was properly licensed, the police officer who pulled the driver over during a traffic stop still had a reasonable suspicion to do so.
Judge: State’s ‘bureaucratic quagmire’ harms disabled woman
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration has 21 days to arrange home health care for an elderly woman with quadriplegia who has been confined to a hospital or nursing home since February 2016, a federal judge has ruled. The decision comes after the judge ruled previously that the FSSA’s failure to develop a home-based care plan violated the woman’s rights under three federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Florida man accused of threatening Tyler Trent’s family to be extradited
The FBI is investigating the case of a Florida man accused of making death threats against the family of Purdue University superfan and cancer activist Tyler Trent, who died last week. The man will be extradited to Indiana to face federal charges.
Rush to give 2019 State of the Judiciary next week
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush announced she will present the 2019 State of the Judiciary next week to Gov. Eric Holcomb and a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly.
Fort Wayne native joins Allen County bench as magistrate judge
Fort Wayne native Michael T. Douglass has been named a magistrate judge in the Allen Superior Court Civil Division, the courts announced in a statement. Douglass will join the court Jan. 22.
10 to interview Jan. 31 for Lake Superior judgeship
The Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission will interview 10 applicants Jan. 31 for a Lake Superior Court vacancy that will occur in February when Judge Diane Kavadias Schneider retires.
Justices to hear arguments in murder, jurisdiction cases
The Indiana Supreme Court is set to hear argument in several cases this week, including a man’s post-conviction appeal of his three separate sentences for murder in Floyd County.
Public comment sought on Lake Superior judge applicants
The Indiana Supreme Court is seeking public comment on the candidates who have applied to fill an upcoming vacancy in Lake Superior Court. Comments must be submitted via email to [email protected] by noon CST on Jan. 14.
Federal judiciary operating on limited funds during shutdown
Federal courts are operating on limited funds during the partial shutdown of the federal government and are working to continue sustaining paid operations through Jan. 18, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
Indiana Court Decisions — Dec. 19, 2018-Jan. 2, 2019
Read Indiana appellate court decisions from the most recent reporting period.
New site a landing page for civil legal aid
The Coalition for Court Access recently launched the website Indianalegalhelp.org. Now, Hoosiers needing help with a divorce, child custody issue, eviction or other civil legal problems have a new place to find answers and additional resources without having to make a phone call, schedule an appointment or even drive to a courthouse.
Statewide e-filing hitting the homestretch
The advent of electronic filing has changed the way Hoosier attorneys do business. Tasks that once required lawyers and their staffs to sift through Bankers Boxes and drive to courthouses can now be completed with just a few keystrokes. As of the end of 2018, 85 of Indiana’s 92 counties had implemented voluntary e-filing, with many of those counties now requiring attorneys to file at least some documents electronically.
Sell here, live here: SCOTUS reviews liquor retailer residency requirements
The requirement that alcohol permit holders live in the state where they do business is based on the simple notion that neighbors care more about the well-being of their communities than out-of-towners do. But a Tennessee case challenging that notion in the U.S. Supreme Court could spill over on similar Indiana laws.
AG’s office seeking more than $132K from Gary councilwoman who violated state law
A Gary city councilwoman has been ordered to reimburse the Gary Sanitary District more than $132,000 in wages for the time she illegally held two municipal positions simultaneously, and the Indiana Attorney General has begun efforts to secure the reimbursement.
Supreme Court amends court retention rules for tax sales, expungement records
The Indiana Supreme Court has issued new guidance on how long courts are required to maintain files related to tax sales and expungements in their offices. The court also updated Indiana's Administrative Rules to reflect the abolishment of two town courts.
Indiana’s abortion petition relisted at U.S. Supreme Court
Indiana’s petition for a review of its 2016 abortion law is still pending at the Supreme Court of the United States after the justices relisted the Hoosier state’s writ of certiorari for this Friday’s conference. The state is asking the Supreme Court to overturn a preliminary injunction blocking the implementation of a law that limits when a woman may terminate her pregnancy and mandates how fetal remains should be handled.