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Court orders suit against Papa John’s to trial

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a grant of summary judgment in favor of a national pizza chain and its employee, finding there were genuine issues of fact as to whether the employee’s statement to police was protected by privilege. In Thomas Williams and Sanford Kelsey v. Kelly Eugene Tharp and Papa John’s U.S.A. Inc., No. 29A02-0707-CV-625, Thomas Williams and Sanford Kelsey appealed the trial court grant of summary judgment in favor of Papa John’s on their claims for defamation, false imprisonment,…

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Transfer granted to confrontation issue

The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer to five cases Aug. 14, including a case that asks whether a defendant has the right to confront the lab technician who prepared a certificate of analysis. The high court granted transfer to Richard Pendergrass v. State of Indiana, No. 71A03-0712-CR-588, in which the Indiana Court of Appeals in July affirmed Richard Pendergrass’ convictions of child molesting. The appellate court ruled Pendergrass’ Sixth Amendment right to confrontation wasn’t violated with the admittance of a certificate of analysis…

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Comments sought on FMLA jury instructions

The 7th Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions Committee is accepting public comments regarding the proposed Family and Medical Leave Act pattern civil jury instructions for the Circuit Court. The committee welcomes comment before submission to the Circuit Council for approval and promulgation. Congress on Jan. 28 extended FMLA eligibility to include employees who need time off to handle certain qualifying “exigencies” related to certain family members’ service or call-up for service in a war, national emergency, or military operation designated by the…

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Supreme Court affirms COA decision

The Indiana Supreme Court has affirmed the ruling of the Court of Appeals on a case it granted transfer to Friday. Justices granted transfer late last week in Floyd Tewell v. State of Indiana, No. 48S02-0701-PC-118, in which the court was asked to rule on whether Tewell’s request challenging his prison detainment should have been treated as post-conviction relief or a writ of habeas corpus. In an order posted online today and dated Jan. 11, the Supreme Court adopted the opinion of the…

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UPDATE: SCOTUS upholds Indiana voter ID law

A week before Hoosier voters head to the polls, the nation’s highest court has upheld Indiana’s law requiring voters to show identification before casting a ballot. The Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision, this morning in the pair of consolidated Hoosier cases William Crawford, et al. v. Marion County Election Board, et al., No. 07-21, and Indiana Democratic Party, et al. v. Todd Rokita, No. 07-25. The decision rejected the constitutional challenge to the strictest voter ID law in…

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Supporting politicians: Legal industry among biggest contributors to campaigns

 Attorneys’ total contributions nationally to 2008 presidential candidates*:If you’ve been getting calls since the primaries or even earlier, asking you to donate to political party A or candidate B, or to help to spread the word about issue C, you’re not alone. It’s no secret that attorneys – whether as individuals or as a combined effort of attorneys in a firm – contribute to campaigns. In federal campaigns in 2004 and so far this year, Indiana lawyers are listed as…

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Public defender finalists named

Two men vying for Marion County’s top public defender spot will face public interviews next week before members of the county agency’s governing board decide which one will ultimately be recommended for the position.The Marion County Public Defender Agency’s board of directors declined to release names publicly until today. The board is searching for someone to succeed chief defender David E. Cook, who is leaving the agency for Indianapolis immigration firm Gresk & Singleton.Indianapolis defense attorneys Robert J. Hill Jr. and…

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Court remands to recalculate attorneys’ fees

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the eviction of a renter and an award of damages in favor of her former landlord, but it reversed the amount of attorneys' fees she has to pay because the trial court's rationale in determining the amount was insufficient.

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St. Joseph Bar releases judicial evaluation

St. Joseph County Bar Association members have evaluated the five St. Joseph Superior judges up for retention this year – Judges Roland W. Chamblee Jr., David C. Chapleau, Jerome Frese, Jenny Pitts Manier, John M. Marnocha, Jane Woodward Miller, and Michael P. Scopelitis. All of the judges received a combined average score of either average/acceptable or above average.

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COA: Award fees for litigation costs

The Indiana Court of Appeals instructed a trial court today to follow its guidance on remand to determine the amount of money to award to a man who wants to recover fees for litigation at the trial and appellate levels. The court hopes to avoid another appeal of the case.

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Court: Lawyer necessary in federal litigation

Although the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions of a defendant and his company for violations of the Clean Water Act in an unpublished opinion today, the appellate court wrote a separate opinion to discuss the issue of whether a limited liability corporation can proceed pro se in federal litigation if an attorney had already worked on the case.

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Attorney, ICLU founder dies

A prominent and well-respected labor attorney who had a great impact on Indianapolis and the legal community died July 27.Alan T. Nolan, an attorney, author, and historian, was 85. Calling and a memorial service will be Aug. 10 and 11.Nolan was born in Evansville and moved to Indianapolis at the age of 10. He attended Harvard Law School and clerked for Sherman Minton at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. He returned to Indianapolis in 1948 and practiced law…

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Prosecutor’s office allowed to file counterclaim

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office was allowed to vacate property it leased after repeated water leaks because the landlords constructively and actually evicted the office from the property, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed March 4. At issue in Village Commons, LLC and Rynalco, Inc. v. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and Carl Brizzi, No. 49A05-0704-CV-195, is whether the exclusive-remedy provision in the lease between Village Commons and Rynalco (landlords), and the prosecutor’s office barred the office from asserting it was evicted…

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Nebraska: Electric chair unconstitutional

A landmark ruling from the Nebraska Supreme Court this morning means that the last state allowing electric chair executions can’t use the method because it’s considered cruel and unusual punishment.The 6-1 ruling today in State of Nebraska v. Richard Mata, Jr., S-05-1268, affirms the death sentence but stays the execution. The court decided that the legislature may vote to have a death penalty but not one that offends rights under the state constitution. Because the decision is based solely on state…

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Bankruptcy filings up in Indiana

Bankruptcy cases in federal courts have increased more than 30 percent in the fiscal year ending in September as compared to the 2007 fiscal year. In Indiana, bankruptcy cases have increased more than 25 percent in the U.S. District Court's Northern and Southern districts.

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Public defender facing suspension

A Marion County public defender is being suspended from his job after his arrest during an undercover child sex sting this weekend.The chair of the public defender office’s board of directors confirmed that Ryan Snyder, 29, is being suspended today and the Marion County Public Defender’s Agency is determining whether that will be paid leave or not.”We don’t want to be premature, and we have to let the judicial system work,” said chair Jimmie McMillian, an associate with Indianapolis firm Barnes…

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COA reverses termination of father’s rights

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court order terminating the parental rights of a father, finding the trial court erred when it relied on an independent investigation to end his rights without giving the father a chance to view or respond to the investigation. In In Re: The Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of S.F. and J.F., Michael Farley v. Allen County Child Services, No. 02A03-0707-JV-306, the appellate court was asked to decide whether Farley was denied…

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Defendant had right to confront lab technician

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a defendant’s drug conviction, finding his Sixth Amendment right to confrontation was denied when he was unable to depose or cross-examine the lab technician who prepared a report stating cocaine was found in his car.In Ricky L. Jackson v. State of Indiana, No. 27A02-0710-CR-902, Ricky Jackson appealed his conviction of dealing in cocaine, invoking the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36 (2004), which ruled that when testimonial statements are at issue,…

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Court: Evidence needed to enforce CID

The Indiana Attorney General must provide at least a verified petition to a court to enforce a civil investigative demand and show the demand is proper, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled today.In Nu-Sash of Indianapolis, Inc. d/b/a McKee Sunroom Designs v. Steve Carter, Indiana Attorney General, and Liberty Publishing, Inc. d/b/a Booster Club Productions, No. 49S02-0801-CV-16, Nu-Sash appealed a trial court order that the company respond within 10 days to a civil investigative demand (CID) issued by Attorney General Steve Carter regarding…

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Tax Court upholds agency’s loan decision

The Indiana Tax Court has upheld a state agency’s decision approving loans to fund fire department operations in a Morgan County township.In Virginia Perry and Gregg Terhune, et al. v. Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, et al., No. 49T10-0712-TA-78, the court affirmed the DLGF’s approval of two Madison Township loans – a reduced $409,000 emergency amount for operating expenses and $650,000 for new vehicles and equipment – that the petitioning taxpayers didn’t want to pay for in 2007. Those taxpayers argued…

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