Articles

Court rules on public defender fee imposition

The Indiana Court of Appeals has decided that a state statute’s indigency hearing requirement doesn’t apply when a defendant has entered into a cash bail-bond agreement, meaning a trial court can use that bond money to pay court costs such as the imposed public defender fee.

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Officials weigh-in on ACLU immigration lawsuit

The governor has no comment on a class-action lawsuit filed Wednesday regarding Senate Enrolled Act 590, said Jane Jankowski, spokeswoman for Gov. Mitch Daniels. The suit – filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana – aims to prevent two components of the immigration legislation from becoming law on July 1.

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Southern District lobby hours changing

The lobby hours for the clerk’s offices in the United States District Court and Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Indiana will be different beginning July 1. Both clerk’s lobby hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. These changes are applicable to all divisions in the Southern District.

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Hundreds gather for rally against Indiana Supreme Court ruling

Nearly 300 people gathered on the steps of the Indiana Statehouse Wednesday, many calling for the recall of Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven H. David. Justice David authored the recent high court ruling that held individuals don’t have the right to resist police who enter their home, even if those entries are illegal.

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Issue of fact precludes summary judgment in insurance case

Neither side in a dispute over whether a deceased man’s auto insurer should provide coverage for losses from an accident that occurred while he was driving his girlfriend’s car is entitled to summary judgment, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. A genuine issue of material fact remains as to whether the girlfriend’s car was furnished or available for the man’s regular use.

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Panel orders lower court to enforce protective order

Highlighting a bias in state statute relating to protective orders, the Indiana Court of Appeals has held that an accuser’s request for a civil contempt hearing against someone alleged to have violated a protective order can’t be tied to any other criminal or civil proceedings under way or available in the future.

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In his honor…

A ceremony May 11 marked the official renaming and dedication of the Lake Superior court building in East Chicago in honor of recently retired Lake Circuit Judge Lorenzo Arredondo.

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Change allows closed-circuit testimony for child victims

On July 1, Indiana will begin allowing the use of closed-circuit testimony in certain court cases. Introduced as House Bill 1215 and signed into law by Gov. Mitch Daniels, the amendment to Indiana Criminal Code 35-37-4-6 may help minimize emotional distress for child victims.

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The evolution of capital punishment

The Indiana Lawyer takes a historical look at how the death penalty system has evolved during the past 40 years and how Indiana has amended its practices and procedures through the decades.

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