Budget boost increases compensation max for federal defenders
A federal funding boost that created increased hourly rates for federal public defenders has also caused an increase in compensation maximums for non-capital federal defenders.
District Courts
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Southern Indiana District honors pro bono attorneys
As an environmental attorney, Tom Barnard had not represented a prison inmate and had never had a case involving the Eighth Amendment but when the Southern Indiana District Court called, recruiting pro bono counsel to help with a settlement hearing, he volunteered.
Racial discrimination claim will proceed against Purdue coach
The Indiana Northern District Court has allowed a racial discrimination claim to continue against a Purdue University baseball coach after finding one of his player’s adequately alleged the coach treated him differently because of his Mexican heritage.
Former phone sex operator loses summary judgment in National Guard case
A former phone sex operator who was terminated from an AmeriCorps program has lost her bid for partial summary judgment based on an alleged First Amendment violation.
NCAA headed to another trial over pay-for-play rules
The Indianapolis-based National Collegiate Athletic Association is headed to trial in a case that could fundamentally change college sports, opening the door for student athletes to collect more compensation.
Fogle files, loses constitutional challenge
Former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle has lost yet another challenge to his 15-year sentence for child pornography charges, with the Indiana Southern District Court this time upholding the constitutionality of a statute through which Fogle has been permitted to seek relief.
Funding boost enables raises for federal defenders, jurors
A nearly $200 million increase in the Fiscal Year 2018 budget is enabling the federal judiciary to increase compensation for jurors and indigent defense attorneys while also performing construction projects at three federal courthouses.
Increase in LSC funding likely to boost Indiana Legal Services
With the just-passed federal spending bill putting an extra $25 million into the Legal Services Corporation’s coffers, Indiana Legal Services is anticipating a raise in funding to help with its work in providing civil legal assistance to indigent individuals and families across the Hoosier state.
SEC litigation against former ITT executives continues
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s lawsuit against two principal officers of ITT Educational Services, Inc., continues to proceed to trial after a federal court Friday denied most of the partial summary judgment motions filed separately by the SEC and the defendants.
Conour spars with court at resentencing hearing
If you ask convicted fraudster William Conour how many victims he’s liable to, he’d tell you only one – and even that one isn’t entitled to any money. The disgraced attorney was resentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday, but not before an hourlong presentation detailing why he believed the court’s findings after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud were inaccurate.
Indianapolis man found guilty in armed pharmacy robberies
An Indianapolis man was found guilty after a two-day jury trial before Jane Magnus-Stinson, chief judge for the U.S. District Court for Southern District of Indiana, in what prosecutors described as a string of armed pharmacy robberies.
Defiant Conour sentenced to 10 years for third time
Disgraced former Indianapolis attorney William Conour has been resentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud — the same conviction that was originally imposed on him five years ago. The judge appeared puzzled, though, by Conour's assertion that the millions of dollars in losses for which he was ordered to make restitution to his ex-clients was inaccurate.
Companies move to dismiss East Chicago lead contamination suit
Companies taken to court over property damage from the contaminated USS Lead Superfund site in East Chicago have asked a federal judge to dismiss the case.
Despite ‘role of Grinch,’ 7th Circuit won’t stop Christmas show
An Elkhart high school’s traditional “Christmas Spectacular” production that was canceled by a northern Indiana federal court because of its overt religiosity, then passed muster when Christian elements no longer took a leading role in a revival, won the reluctant blessing of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Judge holds climate change class in suits against big oil
A federal judge presiding over lawsuits that accuse big oil companies of lying about global warming to protect their profits is turning his courtroom into a classroom in what could be the first hearing to study the science of climate change.
Indiana Court Decisions — March 1-14, 2018
7th Circuit Court of Appeals March 2 Civil Plenary — Noncitizen Transgender Name Change John Doe, formerly known as Jane Doe v. Eric Holcomb, in his official capacity as Governor of the State of Indiana, et al. 17-1756 A Mexican native with asylum in the United States cannot continue with his suit against various Indiana […]
Judge denies attorney’s motion to exclude in copyright infringement case
A retired Indiana attorney has lost his motion to exclude a defendant’s expert testimony in his copyright infringement case, with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana finding the plaintiff was not prejudice by the defendant’s failure to file an expert report.
District court denies Fogle’s motion for judicial notice of FBI letters, laws on communism
Disgraced Subway pitchman Jared Fogle has once again been denied relief from his 15-year prison sentence after a district court judge denied his motion to take judicial notice of certain facts, including correspondence from a former FBI director and congressional laws regarding communism.
Former exec sues Mainstreet, says developer failed to pay him $630K
A former executive at a Carmel-based development firm Mainstreet is suing the company, claiming it terminated him without cause in November to save money as it was going through a financial downturn.
Workload keeps increasing in Southern Indiana District Court
While overall federal district courts recorded a decline in combined filings for civil cases and criminal defendants in 2017, the Southern Indiana District bucked the trend and posted a 30 percent increase.