Applicants sought for Lake County judicial vacancy
Applicants are being sought for an upcoming judicial vacancy in Lake Superior Court next month as a longtime judge prepares to retire.
Lake County
Articles
Indiana teen gets 45 years for fatally stabbing mother
An Indiana teenager accusing of stabbing her mother more than 60 times has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Gary’s gun lawsuit gets revived with COA ruling
Nearly 20 years after it was originally filed, the city of Gary’s lawsuit against firearm manufacturers and dealers is again moving forward after being revived for a third time on appeal, this time focusing on potential unlawful conduct.
Resentencing ordered in former Lake County sheriff’s wire-fraud case
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered for resentencing for a former Lake County sheriff convicted last year on bribery and wire fraud charges, vacating some of his counts for insufficient evidence.
Gary lawsuit against gun makers may proceed, COA rules
A unanimous appellate panel has revived the city of Gary’s lawsuit against 10 handgun manufacturers, enabling the municipality to survive the Indiana General Assembly’s attempt to derail the legal action by amending the state’s Immunity Statute in 2015.
Man convicted of razing Hammond bridge says he didn’t get fair trial
A northwestern Indiana scrap-metal dealer convicted of razing a historic railroad bridge and selling the metal contends he didn’t receive a fair trial. Kenneth Morrison of Whiting is seeking a new trial following his December conviction on a charge of interstate transportation of stolen goods.
Pilot commercial courts to become permanent
Indiana’s pilot commercial courts will become a permanent part of the Hoosier judiciary next month. The six specialized dockets around the state will remain where they are, with some rule amendments.
Mental review ordered for man in northwest Indiana slayings
A man accused of fatally strangling an elderly woman and her daughter in northwestern Indiana has been ordered to get another mental health evaluation.
Justices affirm $176K award of fees to Lake Superior Court judges
Indiana Supreme Court justices affirmed a special judge’s ruling that 14 Lake Superior Court judges are entitled to recover nearly $176,500 to pay court staff, ending a two-year dispute.
COA reverses judgment in siblings’ estate dispute
A disagreement between two siblings has been squashed now that an appellate court has sided with a woman who was granted last-minute possession of her mother’s estate just days before her death, canceling a former transfer on death deed shared with her brother.
Magistrate judges are finalists for Lake Superior vacancy
Three Lake County magistrate judges have been selected as finalists to fill a vacancy on the northwestern Indiana county’s superior court bench.
Man withdraws effort challenging conviction in officer’s death
A man who was sentenced to life in prison without parole for fatally shooting a Gary police officer in 2014 has withdrawn his effort to challenge his conviction.
Gary woman agrees to plead guilty in daughter’s shooting death
A northwestern Indiana woman has agreed to plead guilty to a reduced neglect charge stemming from her 2-year-old daughter’s shooting death. Dashana Fowler, 22, Gary, agreed Monday to plead guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury in the Sept. 4 death of Jayla Miller.
Man withdraws effort challenging conviction in Gary officer’s death
A man who was sentenced to life in prison without parole for fatally shooting a northwestern Indiana police officer in 2014 has withdrawn his effort to challenge his conviction. Carl Le’Ellis Blount filed a petition last year alleging Lake County prosecutors threatened him to get him to plead guilty to murder in the shooting death of Gary Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield, but he asked to withdraw his petition in April.
Hammond woman accused of driving over boyfriend twice, killing him
A northwestern Indiana woman accused of driving over her boyfriend twice with a car has been charged in his killing. Twenty-three-year-old Briana Rice of Hammond is charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident in the April 24 death of 25-year-old Terrondy Jones.
Appellate court: Bar owed duty to patron injured in parking lot fight
A Lake County sports bar should have contemplated that rowdy behavior might take place outside the facility at closing time, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, finding the bar failed to prove it had no duty to protect a patron who was seriously injured in such a fight.
Former Munster doctor sentenced for overprescribing painkillers
A former northwestern Indiana doctor who pleaded guilty to overprescribing painkillers has been sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Jay Joshi, formerly a general practice physician in Munster, also was ordered to pay a $7,500 fine after pleading guilty last year to dispensing hydrocodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
Indiana murder suspect released on bond
A judge in northwest Indiana has granted bail to a 37-year-old man charged with murder after a police officer testified earlier this month that the fatal shooting was likely accidental.
Porter, Lake County attorneys suspended for noncooperation
Two Hoosier attorneys from northwest Indiana have been suspended from the practice of law in the State of Indiana for noncooperation with disciplinary commission investigations of complaints against them.
Reversal: No valid settlement in Crown Point bicycle crash
Years after three Crown Point bicyclists sued each other for negligence after a crash, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed an order and implementation of a settlement agreement when it found the parties had never come to a valid agreement.