Articles

US Supreme Court pushes deadline on Lake Michigan beach case

The U.S. Supreme Court won’t decide until next year whether to consider arguments from residents of Chief Justice John Roberts’ Indiana hometown of Long Beach over ownership of the Lake Michigan community’s shoreline. The case could have a ripple effect for public and private property rights across the Great Lakes states.

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Judge’s failure to sign commitment order splits COA

For the second time in little more than one month, the Indiana Court of Appeals has addressed the issue of the Marion Superior Court ordering civil commitments by the judge summarily approving commitment orders signed by commissioners or magistrates without signing the orders. But unlike a prior ruling, the COA on Wednesday found that issue waived, though a dissenting judge argued litigants cannot waive the issue of a judge’s failure to perform a statutory duty.

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Appeals court orders return of $60K in seized cash

The Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered the return of more than $60,000 in cash seized by an Indianapolis detective who was checking packages at a parcel-shipping company. The same detective’s prior seizure of cash in a similar manner set the precedent in a 2017 case that such searches are unlawful.

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Stepdad who exposed self to teen loses indecency appeal

A northern Indiana man who exposed himself to his stepdaughter’s teenage friend has lost his appeal of his public indecency conviction and sentence, with the Indiana Court of Appeals finding sufficient evidence and the man’s criminal history supported the trial court’s decisions.

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Ex-Lawrenceburg policeman loses 7th Circuit appeal over firing

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a federal court ruling for the city of Lawrenceburg in its firing of a criminally charged police officer, who claimed his termination implicated his First Amendment rights because it came after he complained about the mayor and purported wrongdoing by city officials.

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Protester claims feeling unsafe at AG’s anti-crime event

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill discussed crime prevention Tuesday during the Indiana General Assembly’s organization day, presenting his office’s commitment to making Hoosier neighborhoods safer. However, one woman said she did not feel safe at the statehouse with Hill present.

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Indy firm leads team winning $25M Missouri telecom settlement

A seven-year court battle between Missouri landowners and a telecom company that strung fiber-optic cable across 796 miles of private property without permission or compensation has concluded with a $25 million settlement negotiated by a legal team led by an Indianapolis law firm.

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Justices hear dad’s appeal of removal from son’s estate

The Indiana Supreme Court heard argument Tuesday contending the appointment of a deceased man’s father as the special administrator of his wrongful-death estate should not have been reconsidered, despite counter-arguments that he was not the best fit for the appointment.

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Justices send dismissed post-conviction case back to COA

The Indiana Court of Appeals errantly dismissed a man’s post-conviction relief case, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled, reinstating the man’s case last week and remanding it to the lower appellate court. Justices on Tuesday granted transfer in Kenny Green v. State of Indiana, 18S-PC-562, for the purpose of reinstating Green’s PCR case in the Indiana Court of Appeals with instructions to establish a briefing schedule for review of his appeal on the merits.

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