Articles

No solution to shutdown in sight before Dems take House

The partial government shutdown will almost certainly be handed off to a divided government to solve in the new year — the first big confrontation between President Donald Trump and newly empowered Democrats — as agreement eludes Washington in the waning days of the Republican monopoly on power.

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Mobile home parks lose appeal of IURC classification

Several Kosciusko County mobile home parks lost their appeal of an Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission decision that impacted their sewer billing. The Indiana Court of Appeals on Thursday affirmed the IURC’s entry of summary judgment for a regional sewer district and dismissal of the parks’ appeal in Northcrest R.V. Park, et al. v. Lakeland Regional Sewer District, and Indiana Regional Sewer District Association, 18A-EX-1243.

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Post-holiday, partial government shutdown to gain impact

Christmas has come and gone but the partial government shutdown is just getting started. Wednesday brings the first full business day after several government departments and agencies closed over the weekend due to a budgetary stalemate between President Donald Trump and Congress. And there is no end in sight.

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Prosecutors concede 3 Buncich convictions should be vacated

Federal prosecutors concede there wasn’t enough evidence to convict former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich on three of the five wire fraud counts he was found guilty of and he should be resentenced. Prosecutors say they failed to introduce sufficient evidence of “Federal reserve payroll fund” transfers alleged in three counts of the indictment against Buncich and “the Court should vacate Buncich’s convictions on those counts.”

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Former Van Buren town marshal pleads guilty to pain medication theft

A former Indiana town marshal is pleading guilty after authorities alleged he broke into the home of a local elected official and stole pain medication while still wearing his police uniform. Former Van Buren Town Marshal Donald R. Bosley admitted during a hearing on Dec. 19 that he entered the home of Van Buren Town Council President Tony Manry in May and stole the medication.

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Records: Probe of Indiana’s AG cost taxpayers at least $26K

An investigation into allegations that Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill drunkenly groped four women at a party last March cost taxpayers at least $26,300, according to records obtained through open records requests. The bulk of the expenses, $17,861, came from the office of Inspector General Lori Torres, which opened its inquiry after requests by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and legislative leadership.

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COA says immigrant’s PCR petition was 12 years too late

An immigrant woman who waited 12 years to seek relief from a forgery conviction has lost the appeal of the denial of her post-conviction relief petition, with the Indiana Court of Appeals finding the woman did not provide a credible explanation for the delay.

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New rule: Pence, lawyer Congress members exempt from CLE

Indiana lawyers who are members of Congress, senators or vice president no longer have to worry about meeting continuing legal education requirements under a rule adopted this week by the Indiana Supreme Court. The new rule also decreases CLE credits required for state lawmakers who are attorneys.

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Police probe Hamilton County Treasurer’s Office misconduct allegations

Indiana State Police are investigating an allegation that clerks in the Hamilton County Treasurer’s Office accepted past-due property payments from family members and county workers without charging late fees. The allegation was made by former employee Susan Byer in a wrongful termination suit filed last month against Hamilton County, treasurer Jennifer Templeton and deputy treasurer Kim Good. 

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DOC deliberate indifference claim remanded to district court

Finding it is reasonable to infer that a former unit manager at the Putnamville Correctional Facility knew an inmate was in danger from gang violence but did nothing, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a grant of summary judgment and remanded the case to the Southern Indiana District Court.

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On remand, divided COA again allows modification of fixed-plea sentence

A divided Indiana Court of Appeals has once again reversed a trial court ruling holding that a man sentenced pursuant to a fixed plea agreement could not seek a sentence modification, with the appellate court finding instead on remand that statutory amendments to laws governing fixed pleas are not applicable in this case.

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