Legislation impacting judiciary awaiting final approval
Several bills that may alter the look of the Indiana judiciary await final approval during the waning days of the 2011 legislative session.
Judicial elections
Articles
Experts to discuss judicial selection at IU Maurer
Four nationally known experts on judicial selection will participate in a panel discussion April 21 at Indiana University Maurer School of Law in the Moot Court Room.
Mandatory retirement, unified court bills still alive
The bill that would end a mandatory retirement age for certain judges and the bill that would unify Clark County courts are ready for third reading in their respective houses.
JTAC fee, Clark County courts bills before committees
A bill that would increase the automated record-keeping fee to pay for implementation of a statewide case-management system and a bill that proposes to create a unified Circuit Court in Clark County are just two of the bills before committees this week in the Indiana General Assembly.
Indiana courts to host judicial independence panel discussion
The Indiana Supreme Court is hosting a panel discussion in mid-February to discuss the broad topic of judicial independence and how courts operate in our democracy, and it’s turning to the online and social media world to help shape how the event unfolds.
ALJ, problem-solving courts bills moving
A House bill dealing with problem-solving courts and a Senate bill that involves administrative proceedings and administrative law judge disqualifications have made it out of their respective judiciary committees.
Newly elected judge shot in northern Indiana
A northern Indiana deputy prosecutor and soon-to-be LaPorte Superior judge was shot in her home late Monday night.
General Assembly returns for 2011 session
The Indiana Senate and House of Representatives reconvened this afternoon to begin the 2011 long session. The legislators still have time to file bills, but there are already several bills introduced that may affect Indiana courts and the legal community.
Judicial candidates lose elections
Two judicial candidates who’d faced Indiana Election Commission challenges earlier this year about their names even appearing on the ballot made it to the general election, but ended up losing the races and not getting to the bench in Lake and Allen counties.
Indiana attorney is still battling merit-selection in courts
A Terre Haute attorney has been dealt another blow in his national effort to challenge judicial merit-selection systems in favor of popular elections.
Expedited hearing to be sought after justices again deny transfer
The attorney for a man challenging the inclusion of a Lake County judicial prospect’s name on the general election ballot will seek an expedited hearing with the Indiana Court of Appeals after justices Wednesday denied a second emergency request for transfer.
SCOTUS asked to take both judicial canons appeals
A Terre Haute attorney wants the nation’s highest court to review two appellate cases out of Indiana and Wisconsin that uphold judicial canons and pose free speech questions about what judicial candidates can say or do when campaigning for office.
Lake Circuit candidate can stay on ballot for now
A Highland attorney is back on the ballot for a Lake Circuit judge opening after he received a temporary restraining order that says the Indiana Election Commission shouldn’t have removed his name as a candidate for the general election.
Candidacy issues in Allen, Lake counties
During an afternoon of heated debate about election law, a state commission kept a controversial incumbent judge on Allen County’s ballot despite arguments he should be disqualified while it essentially pulled another judicial candidate off the Lake County ballot in a challenge involving how the political process put him into the race.
7th Circuit upholds Indiana’s judicial canons
At a time when the legal community is caught up in controversies about how judges are selected and whether they can remain
impartial, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has weighed in on that national debate and ruled that states have the authority
to self-regulate on those issues as it relates to judicial canons.
Indianapolis Bar Association forms PAC
The Indianapolis Bar Association may be the first statewide or nationally to create a plan aimed at combating judicial campaign-contribution
concerns on the heels of a landmark court ruling last year.
Former justice discusses merit selection
During a visit to South Bend today, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor pushed a message that merit selection is the best way to ensure an independent judiciary, though her words come at a time when state lawmakers are close to scrapping that very system in the county she visited.
UPDATE: Committee tweaking St. Joe judges bill
A legislative conference committee is debating what changes might be possible for a bill aimed at scrapping merit selection for St. Joseph Superior judges.
House passes St. Joseph judicial election bill
In a historically notable vote, the Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill that would elect St. Joseph Superior judges rather than stick with a merit-selection and retention system in place for 35 years.
Senate OKs COA panel, St. Joe judge elections
The full Senate voted today in support of legislation scrapping the St. Joseph Superior judge merit-selection system for judicial elections, and also creating a new panel for the Indiana Court of Appeals.