Lake Superior Court judge charged with alleged misconduct by judicial commission
The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications charged Lake Superior Court Judge Calvin Hawkins Monday with three counts of misconduct.
Lake County
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Election vs. selection: An update on the dispute over Lake Superior Court judges
The dispute over judicial elections versus merit selection in Indiana’s most populous — and diverse — counties isn’t new, but it is ongoing. Right now, the debate seems to be centered on Lake County.
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Lake County judge finds evidence tied to famous murder
Lake Circuit Court Judge Marissa McDermott recently discovered a pair of guns tied to a famous murder in The Region more than 50 years ago.
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New law establishes process for removing no-show elected officials from office
Motivated by a Lake County recorder who did not show up for work for more than a year, the Indiana General Assembly took an unusual step during the 2021 session and created a narrow pathway for local governments to remove one of their own instead of waiting for the voters to take action.
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Toxic fallout: Remediation and lawsuits continuing at USS Lead Superfund site in East Chicago
The pictures of sun-drenched homes and neatly trimmed lawns in East Chicago showcase what is perhaps the best outcome. However, the images belie the nightmare many residents are still living. The homes along with the neighboring West Calumet Housing Project and Carrie Gosch Elementary School were all built on the USS Lead Superfund site.
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Articles
Valparaiso couple awarded $25 million after medical center found to be negligent
A Valparaiso couple was awarded $25.8 million in damages by a Lake County jury after a medical center failed to transfer test results that contained information about the husband’s cancer diagnosis.
Indiana Tax Court rules petitioner failed to demonstrate invalidity of land values determination
The Indiana Tax Court has affirmed the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance’s determination that the Lake County Assessor correctly developed the county’s land order in 2022.
Indiana Supreme Court affirms one lower court ruling, reverses other in insurance dispute
An Indiana trial court correctly granted judgment to an insurance company because evidence showed the company had no special duty to a family following a 2017 accident, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled in an opinion issued Monday.
COA declines to order injunction against ex-husband accusing ex-wife of criminal conduct at work
An ex-husband’s claims that his ex-wife engaged in criminal activity at her job are protected by the First Amendment, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed.
COA reinstates, then reverses, neglect conviction
After reinstating a woman’s neglect conviction based on trial court error, the Court of Appeals of Indiana then reversed that conviction based on insufficient evidence.
Federal judge reluctantly rules Lake Co. judicial selection, rather than election, doesn’t violate Voting Rights Act
Despite obvious disdain for the disparities, a federal judge has ruled in favor of the state on a lawsuit alleging the process of judicial selection — rather than election — in Lake County is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Merrillville municipal judge loses summary judgment appeal in litigation over court’s closure
In the continued litigation over whether and when the Merrillville Town Court should be shut down, the court’s judge has lost his appeal of a summary judgment ruling in favor of the town council’s passage of an ordinance on the court’s eventual closure.
Suspect in fatal grocery store shooting leaves behind debit card, leading to his arrest
A debit card left behind at the scene of a fatal shooting helped police in Gary track down and arrest a man suspected of killing a fellow customer at a grocery store.
Modified custody, parenting time order in mother’s favor upheld at COA
The grant of sole legal custody of a child to the mother and an order for the father’s parenting time to be supervised were not erroneous, the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled Wednesday.
COA dismisses provider’s appeal of ruling in med-mal case, finding ruling wasn’t a final judgment
A provider cannot yet appeal a ruling in a medical malpractice complaint against him because the ruling at issue was not a final judgment, the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled in a Tuesday dismissal.
COA allows nurse’s med-mal complaint against doctor to continue
A nurse who contracted a skin infection through her work at a Hobart hospital can pursue a medical malpractice complaint against a physician, the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled in a Thursday reversal.
COA affirms jury verdict in favor of home sellers accused of fraudulent misrepresentation
A couple alleging fraudulent misrepresentation in their purchase of a home has failed to convince the Court of Appeals of Indiana that the jury was improperly instructed or that the verdict in favor of the sellers was not supported by the evidence.
COA affirms rulings against subcontractor in unjust enrichment lawsuit related to NWI BP plant
A subcontractor that was part of a delayed project at a BP plant in northwest Indiana can’t assert claims against the contractor based on unjust enrichment, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled in affirming a number of decisions from a lower court.
Maximum sentence appropriate for ‘worst of the worst’ stepfather convicted of sexual misconduct, COA affirms
A man’s 14-year history of molesting his stepdaughter and the mental health issues she suffered from the repeated abuse justified a trial court’s imposition of a maximum 12-year prison sentence for sexual misconduct, the Court of Appeals of Indiana affirmed.
Lake Co. prosecutor asks Indiana State Police to investigate dog deaths in uncooled rear of truck
Prosecutors have asked Indiana State Police to investigate the recent deaths of at least eight dogs from heat-related injuries while being transported in the back of an uncooled box truck.
COA affirms order for patients to remove non-evidentiary allegations from evidentiary submissions in med-mal case
Non-evidentiary allegations were properly struck from evidentiary submissions in a medical malpractice case, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed.
‘He said, she said’ case accusing doctor of sexual misconduct doesn’t fall under Medical Malpractice Act, COA affirms
A woman’s allegations that her doctor committed sexual misconduct against her did not fall under the Medical Malpractice Act, the Court of Appeals of Indiana affirmed in allowing the case to proceed without going before a medical review panel.
COA affirms court’s order to award guardianship of juvenile to DOC
A trial court did not abuse its discretion when it ordered a juvenile who violated the terms of his probation to be placed in the Indiana Department of Correction, the Court of Appeals of Indiana affirmed Wednesday.
Woman paralyzed in crash can’t file 2nd lawsuit against different defendants, IN Supreme Court affirms
An Indiana woman who won a multimillion-dollar verdict against a trucking company for a 2018 accident that left her quadriplegic cannot sue additional defendants for their alleged roles in the same accident, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.