Indiana woman gets 5 years in killing, body-dumping case
A woman who is one of five people charged in a torture-slaying has been sentenced to five years in prison.
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Panelists urge counties to keep ‘open mind’ on pretrial release reform
Stakeholders from around Indiana shared experiences and expectations regarding pretrial release reform as the entire state moves toward a system less reliant on cash bail beginning in January.
Justices affirm stalking conviction for driver who followed college student 70 miles
A man’s act of following a college student for more than two hours on U.S. Highway 30 from Valparaiso to Warsaw constituted stalking, Indiana Supreme Court justices affirmed Tuesday, finding his actions were continuous in nature.
COA on rehearing lets stand ruling setting aside tax deed
The Indiana Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected multiple arguments regarding its prior decision involving the LaPorte County auditor’s failure to check records that would have revealed the address of a Michigan City property owner whose land was sold without notice for back taxes.
Patient’s claim her x-rays were wrongly shared reinstated
A Lake County woman whose medical records were unknowingly shared with her employer by a Community Hospital worker in Munster who took her x-rays has won a reversal of her dismissed complaint against the hospital.
Merrillville Town Court judge appointed to Lake Superior bench
Merrillville Town Court Judge Gina L. Jones has been appointed to the Lake Superior Court, succeeding retiring Judge John Pera, who retired in June, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Tuesday.
COA splits on admission of counselor records in child molesting case
An adoptive father’s child molesting conviction will stand, a divided appellate court determined Tuesday, disagreeing as to whether privileged records from a one-on-one counseling session with the victim should be admitted.
US Supreme Court takes up cases about LGBT employment rights
The US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in two of the term’s most closely watched cases over whether federal civil rights law protects LGBT people from job discrimination.
Justices to review 181-year sentence imposed on Gary teen
The Indiana Supreme Court granted petitions to transfer in two cases last week, agreeing to hear a case concerning the sentence imposed on a 16-year-old murder defendant and a matter regarding a motorcycle crash involving a state trooper.
Holcomb appoints 3 to ICJI board of trustees
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb appointed three new members to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute Board of Trustees last week.
Title VII questions at U.S. Supreme Court echo Indiana case
The issue that arose in Indiana from the employment discrimination case against Ivy Tech will go before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday as the nine justices will be asked whether Title VII protections extend to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Southern District clerk Briggs to step down next year
Longtime clerk Laura Briggs of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will retire from her post in mid-2020. “I have loved it,” Briggs said Monday about her 21-year tenure as clerk, a post from which she expects to retire in May or June.
Jasper homebuilder sued in copyright case wins $518K in attorney fees
A Jasper homebuilder that was sued by a company that has sued more than 100 defendants, including dozens of Indiana homebuilders, has been awarded more than $518,000 in attorney fees after a judge previously cleared the Jasper company of home design copyright infringement.
COA will hear habitual offender, frat house oral arguments
The Indiana Court of Appeals is set to hear oral arguments this week involving a man’s prolonged fight against his habitual offender status as well as a dispute regarding an Indiana University fraternity house property.
Stakeholders praise pretrial reforms at statewide summit
Across Indiana, 44 local jails are currently at capacity. But if half of all pretrial detainees were released, that number would fall to 11. A key lawmaker used that statistic Friday to demonstrate the possible benefits in Indiana’s efforts to release low-level, low-risk offenders as an alternative to cash bail.
Unemployment benefits upheld after employer misses phone hearing
An employer who failed confirm its presence at a telephonic hearing it was scheduled to have with a recently terminated employee couldn’t convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that it was denied a reasonable opportunity for a fair hearing.
Rush, David dissent in denial of appeal after joint mistrial request rejected
A man’s conviction in a domestic battery case after both defense and prosecution asked for a mistrial because a relative of the defendant communicated with a juror outside court will stand after the Indiana Supreme Court in a 3-2 decision chose not to hear the appeal. Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Steven David published a dissent, believing the defendant had been prejudiced and was entitled to a new trial.
Supreme Court to hear abortion regulation case
The Supreme Court agreed Friday to plunge into the abortion debate in the midst of the 2020 presidential campaign, taking on a Louisiana case that could reveal how willing the more conservative court is to chip away at abortion rights.
COA: Dollar Tree can open on former Walgreens lot
The denial of an Indianapolis property owner’s request to put a Dollar Tree in a vacant drugstore building was an abuse of discretion, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed in a Friday decision.
COA reverses denied for-cause challenge against unwilling juror, orders new trial
A wrongful death case will proceed to retrial after the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the denial of a woman’s motion to strike a potential juror who expressed an unwillingness to decide the question of damages.