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When a court accepts a fixed-sentence plea agreement, prosecutors and defenders alike say the long-standing practice has been for courts to uphold the exact terms of that sentence, absent an agreement between the parties. A recent Indiana Court of Appeals ruling, however, has seemingly put an end to that practice, leading to both a legislative and judicial review of the sentencing issue.
It’s no secret the ongoing opioid epidemic has ravaged nearly every corner of the Hoosier state, sending thousands to court on drug charges, ballooning the number of children in need of services and more. But even as the drug crisis strains Indiana’s judicial resources, Chief Justice Loretta Rush said new court programs and technology have positioned the judiciary to meet the crisis head-on and lead the state into a “hope-filled future.”
Two Statehouse Democrats from northwest Indiana know the cleanup of the contamination site in East Chicago will not only take years but also a steady state commitment. Their legislation — and affected residents’ federal court cases — aim to keep the issue in the spotlight.
Indiana’s historic Sunday sales legislation has cleared the Senate with a 39-10 vote.
Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, brought Senate Bill 1 before the full Senate for third reading on Monday, telling his Senate colleagues the measure is a clean bill that simply allows for Sunday carryout alcohol sales from noon to 8 p.m.
The Indiana Supreme Court will consider a sentence modification question that is also getting attention from the Indiana General Assembly when it hears oral arguments this week.
An Indiana Senate panel has advanced a bill what would set criteria for redrawing electoral districts. But the measure approved on an 8-0 vote Monday fell far short of a comprehensive redistricting overhaul that good government groups have sought for years.
The Indiana Senate has defeated an amendment that would have allowed for Sunday sales nearly all day in Indiana.
Indiana will likely remain the only state that restricts who can sell cold beer after a Senate panel voted Wednesday to uphold a closely guarded law that protects the interests of liquor stores.
The future of the sale of cannabidiol, or CBD, oil in Indiana remains unknown after an Indiana senator declined to call for a vote on two bills that would legalize the sale of the substance if certain specifications are met.
Emphasizing the economic as well as social benefits of hate crime laws, an energic and diverse crowd rallied inside the Indiana Statehouse Tuesday in support of two bills that would add penalties for crimes motivated by bias.
A bill that would change how Indiana’s courts treat out-of-state felonies during sentencing will come before the full Indiana House of Representatives for a vote Tuesday.
Some Indiana lawmakers are looking to consolidate township government in the state after multiple instances of corruption.
With two hate crime bills introduced in the Indiana Legislature this session, proponents are hoping the third time will be the charm for finally getting a measure to the governor’s desk. Advocates plan a rally at the Statehouse on Tuesday.
As state legislatures across the county take steps toward updating their sexual harassment policies, Republican lawmakers who dominate the Indiana General Assembly appear to be adopting a wait-and-see approach.
Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, has filed a bill that would extend whistleblower protections to state employees who speak up about government misdeeds or fiscal malfeasance. The legislation is in response to a split decision from the Indiana Supreme Court, which found the state whistleblower statute did not include workers in the public sector.
A bill pending before an Indiana Senate committee would place additional requirements on the Department of Child Services before removing a child from long-term foster care, though DCS representatives object to the bill on the basis of court caseloads and child safety.
The fight over CBD oil in Indiana has led lawmakers to introduce numerous bills that would legalize sale of the product derived from marijuana plants, but the only measure currently scheduled for a hearing at the Statehouse would limit CBD sales to people who put their names on a state registry. The bill will be heard next week.
For the first time in Indiana history, a Senate committee has approved a bill allowing Sunday alcohol sales, moving the measure to the full Senate.
A complete turnover in the Supreme Court bench, an expansion of judicial training options and a continued commitment to court technology has poised the Indiana judiciary in a state of hope for the future, Chief Justice Loretta Rush said today in her State of the Judiciary address.