Articles

Civil filing fees go up

Attorneys who make civil filings are now paying for judicial salaries and future participation of magistrates in a state pension program.Civil filing fees increased slightly on July 1, raising the standard cost from $133 to $136 to pay for court administration and judicial salaries.The General Assembly increased the court administration fee from $3 to $5, and the judicial salaries fee went up from $17 to $18. Other fees remain unchanged.Some attorneys in Marion County have called the local clerk’s office to…

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COA: Sex-offender registration still applies

The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld a man’s convictions of failing to register as a sex offender, finding his argument “nonsensical” that his duty to register began before the statute was enacted.In Jesse S. McCown v. State of Indiana, No. 79A05-0710-CR-556, Jesse McCown appealed his two counts of failure to register as a sex offender, a Class D felony.McCown pleaded guilty in 1987 to child molesting and was sentenced to serve consecutive six- and two-year terms. In 1994, the General Assembly…

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Post-conviction case gets transfer

The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer June 26 to a case involving a summary disposition in favor of the state on a post-conviction relief petition. In Shawn E. Norris v. State of Indiana, No. 43A03-0708-CR-396, Shawn Norris filed for post-conviction relief alleging newly discovered evidence. Norris’ stepsister told police that Norris had touched her daughter. Norris pleaded guilty to the charge of child molesting.After Norris was sentenced, he filed his petition for post-conviction relief and included an affidavit from his stepsister, saying…

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Judge: Courts can’t trim budget and function

Faced with the possibility of cutting even more from the Carroll County’s courts budget this year, that county’s judges stood firm against Carroll County Council requests to again slash the court’s budget. The judges sent a letter to the council stating if the Indiana Supreme Court would relieve the courts of some duties, then the court’s budget could be further reduced. The letter was sent to point out the absurdity of the requested cuts, said Carroll Superior Judge Jeffrey Smith. Cutting…

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Supreme Court grants 4 transfers

The Indiana Supreme Court granted four transfers yesterday in cases involving expungement of an arrest record, Indiana’s prostitution statutes, a landlord/tenant dispute, and whether control or title is critical in determining whether the vendor in a land-sale contract owes a duty to third parties. In State of Indiana v. Chad Arnold, No. 49A02-0610-CR-961, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court order denying the state’s motion pursuant to Indiana Trial Rule 60(B), which requested relief from the order that Indiana State…

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Candidates interviewed for St. Joseph judgeship

he St. Joseph Superior Court Judicial Nominating Committee interviewed 15 candidates today to fill a vacancy on St. Joseph Superior Court. The vacancy will be created when Judge William T. Means retires at the end of this month.

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7th Circuit: Woman has claim for relief

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed today with a District Court's dismissal of a woman's complaint against the federal government, finding she had stated a claim for relief following her dismissal from her job as a result of a Federal Protective Service investigation.

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Court: Records inspection needs testimony

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court decision to allow a couple to inspect a company’s financial statements, finding the trial court relied only on an affidavit – and not testimony – to allow the inspection. In Bacompt Systems, Inc. v. Angelina Peck and David C. Peck, No. 29A02-0708-CV-646, the Pecks made separate written requests to view Bacompt’s financial documents. The Pecks, who lived in Pennsylvania, owned approximately 25 percent of the company’s stock. Prior to David C. Peck’s termination…

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Judges differ on day-care credit, child support

An Indiana Court of Appeals panel disagrees about whether or not a parent who uses day care when he or she isn’t working is entitled to a child-support tax credit.In Craig Cross v. Victoria Cross, No. 49A05-0802-CV-94, authoring Judge Elaine Brown and Judge Paul Mathias ruled the trial court erred in ordering father Craig Cross to pay $30 more a week to pay for Victoria Cross’ work-related day care for their adult child with autism. At issue is whether or not the…

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Mom’s promoting prostitution sentence stands

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the 17-year sentence for a woman convicted of prostituting her daughter, finding her sentence was appropriate and that an even longer sentence could be justified.

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In vitro firing case one of first impression

In the first of its kinds for any federal appellate court, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of an Indiana woman who claimed she was wrongly fired for taking time off work to have in vitro fertilization.The 7th Circuit issued its decision on the Illinois case Wednesday in Cheryl Hall v. Nalco Co., No. 06-3684, a case that could have implications for women workers across the country. The appellate panel reversed a ruling from U.S. District Judge David…

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Equal pay lawsuit heads to trial

A $42 million class action lawsuit involving Indiana state employees is scheduled to go to trial Aug. 19 in Marion Superior Court. The lawsuit was brought by state employees who worked more hours than other state employees in comparable jobs. In Paula Brattain, et al. v. Richmond State Hospital, et al., No. 49D11-0108-CP-1309, the class seeks compensation from the state for an estimated 15,000 state employees who were required to work a 40-hour week while some employees in similar positions at…

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Lawyer convicted of battery, confinement

An Indiana attorney often in trouble with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission was convicted Friday of crimes against a woman in a wheelchair. Northern Indiana attorney Michael Haughee was convicted of sexual battery and criminal confinement, both Class D felonies, and interference with the reporting of a crime, a Class A misdemeanor. Haughee was arrested in October 2006 following an incident at the woman’s home. Haughee claimed he went to the woman’s house to register her to vote. At the…

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Marion Superior Judge Charles Deiter dies

Indiana has lost a longtime Marion County judge who’s been on the probate bench for three decades and was considered one of the state’s top probate jurists.Marion Superior Judge Charles Deiter, 71, who presided over the court’s probate division, lost a battle to cancer this morning, according to his colleague and longtime friend Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.”He was a wonderful judge, someone who was well-loved by everyone in the community and on the bench,” said Judge Pratt, who said the two…

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Justices grant transfer in 2 cases

The Indiana Supreme Court granted two transfers this week.Justices will consider an Indiana State University case involving unemployment benefits for a discharged university professor, and another case delving into the attorney general’s power to demand discovery in consumer complaint investigations.One transfer comes in the combined appeals of Liberty Publishing Inc. and Nu-Sash of Indianapolis v. Steve Carter, No. 49A02-0606-CV-502, which the state’s appellate court ruled on June 25. The appeals court affirmed Marion Superior Court judgments that the attorney general has the…

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COA to hear sex offender arguments Monday

The Indiana Court of Appeals will hear arguments in a case regarding the state’s sex offender residency law March 31 at Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis.In State of Indiana v. Anthony W. Pollard, Pollard is a convicted sex offender who has lived for 20 years within 1,000 feet of a property where children could gather. He was charged for violating Indiana Code 35-42-4-11 and told that he could no longer live in his home. Pollard argues the law was…

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New legal center opens in Marion County

The Marion Superior Court Family Resource Center – created by the Family Court Project for families with legal disputes – opens Monday and will offer easier access to information about legal and social services resources. The center will provide resources and referrals for various services such as domestic violence, protective orders, substance-abuse treatment options, and how to find an attorney. Residents filing pro se will be able to view videos that walk them through the self-representation process, as well as use…

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