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Moving forward on merit selection: Judiciary, bar association support statewide change

An effort that began more than 50 years ago is being resurrected and could eventually reshape how judges are selected throughout Indiana. Stars are aligning for a multi-faceted thrust toward merit selection and retention for all trial judges statewide, an endeavor that’s been brewing behind the scenes for years but is now gaining more steam from the state’s judiciary and largest bar associations. While no guarantee exists that lawmakers would even consider such a change, key players supporting the concept in…

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BREAKING: Lawrence confirmed

U.S. Magistrate Judge William T. Lawrence in Indianapolis has been confirmed as the newest federal judge on the Southern District of Indiana.Just about 4 p.m., the U.S. Senate took a break from discussion on wiretapping to move on to judicial nominations. They held a roll call vote at 4:35 p.m. They voted 97-0 at 5 p.m. to confirm Magistrate Lawrence to the judgeship, meaning he’ll be the Southern District’s first ever magistrate to be elevated to the constitutionally established Article III…

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Convictions don’t violate double jeopardy

The Indiana Supreme Court affirmed today a post-conviction court's denial of a defendant's petition for relief, finding his convictions of burglary and attempted armed robbery didn't violate Indiana's double jeopardy clause.

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Investiture for St. Joseph judge Friday

Recently appointed St. Joseph Superior Judge Margot F. Reagan will officially take the bench Dec. 5 with a 4 p.m. robing ceremony in the Superior Court courtroom in the St. Joseph County Courthouse.

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COA adjusts sentence for child molestation

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a defendant’s convictions of child molestation and child exploitation, but it adjusted his sentence after finding a mathematical error by the trial court. In Roy Bennett v. State of Indiana, No. 79A05-0705-CR-240, Bennett appealed his convictions and sentence for two counts of Class D felony child exploitation and three counts of Class C felony child molestation. Bennett’s adopted daughter accused him of sexually molesting her and police searched Bennett’s home, finding several computer discs containing pornographic…

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COA: Stop lacked reasonable suspicion

The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned a defendant’s drug conviction because the traffic stop that led to his arrest was unconstitutional; the police officer who pulled the car over didn’t have reasonable suspicion there was criminal activity going on in the car. Damen Holly appealed his conviction of possession of marijuana as a Class A misdemeanor in Damen Holly v. State of Indiana, No. 49A02-0711-CR-930. Holly was pulled over by a police officer after the officer ran a license plate check of…

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Court: Student complaints are absolute privilege

In a case of first impression, the Indiana Supreme Court held complaints made by current students under a university’s anti-harassment policy are protected by absolute privilege.The Supreme Court granted transfer to Virginia Hartman and Suzanne Swinehart v. Dr. Gabe Keri, No. 02S03-0706-CV-233, to determine whether Hartman and Swinehart’s statements alleging sexual harassment against professor Keri were granted absolute privilege or qualified privilege. Keri was a professor in the education department at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne (IPFW), and Hartman and Swinehart…

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Court: ‘mistakes’ in judge’s sentence

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the sentence of man convicted of defrauding Medicaid because the District Court judge’s sentencing transcript was “laced with apparent mistakes and misunderstandings.” In United States of America v. William J. Higdon, No. 07-3951, William Higdon appealed his 60-month sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard Young of the Southern District, Evansville Division. Higdon pleaded guilty to defrauding the Indiana Medicaid program, and the judge and parties agreed the sentencing guideline was 18 to 24 months….

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U.S. allowed to join Indy case arguments

The U.S. Supreme Court will allow the federal government to have a voice in arguments of an Indiana case later this month, testing the competency standards for pro se litigants in criminal cases.On March 14, justices of the nation’s highest court granted a motion from the U.S. Solicitor General to participate in arguments as amicus curiae in Indiana v. Ahmad Edwards, 07-208, set for 10 a.m. March 26.At issue is what the Sixth Amendment dictates when determining whether someone found competent…

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Court finds fax to be a contract

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment in favor of a landlord in his breach of lease claims against the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, finding a faxed agreement amending the original terms of the lease constituted a contract.

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Worker’s comp claim bars med mal complaint

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the denial of a hospital's motion to dismiss a medical malpractice complaint because
the claimant, who was employed by the hospital and on duty at the time of the injury, could only file a complaint against
the employer under the Worker's Compensation Act.

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Court mulls ‘vicarious exhaustion’ in jail suit

A court ruling issued Monday by a federal judge in Indianapolis touches on a legal nuance that’s yet to be addressed by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago and is also a relatively new argument for Indiana.In the jail-condition prisoner suit of Trevor Richardson v. Monroe County Sheriff, et al., No. 1:08-cv-0174 U.S., Judge Richard Young of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, denied a motion from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to dismiss the suit and…

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Enhancement not allowed for attempted crimes

The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned a sentence enhancement for a man convicted of attempted rape. The enhancement was for being a repeat sexual offender, but attempted rape is not a crime listed under the repeat sex offender statute that allows for the enhancement. In William E. Wright v. State of Indiana, No. 48A02-0708-PC-678, the Court of Appeals agreed with Wright that his appellate counsel provided ineffective assistance in regards to challenging the sentence enhancement and that Wright’s petition for post-conviction relief should…

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Federalist society to preview SCOTUS term

The Federalist Society's Indianapolis Lawyers Division Chapter will present a preview of the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court 2008-09 term featuring Kannon Shanmugam, who served as assistant to the solicitor general in the U.S. Department of Justice and is currently a partner in the Washington, D.C., firm Williams & Connolly.

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Court: punitive penalty not allowed

A juvenile court erred when it found a juvenile in civil contempt of court and imposed an additional term of confinement as a result, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled. In K.L.N. v. State of Indiana, No. 71A03-0708-JV-411, K.L.N., a juvenile, had appealed the juvenile court’s decision to impose an additional term of confinement against him for being found in contempt of court. K.L.N. was confined to a secure facility for 120 days and often did not follow the rules. As…

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Federal court names new chief probation officer

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has appointed – effective immediately – a new chief probation officer, who also is the first African-American to serve in that capacity in the district.

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