General Assembly wraps up on time
The 2011 session of the Indiana General Assembly ended on schedule despite the weeks-long walkout by House Democrats. Now, bills impacting Indiana’s courts and legal community make their way to the governor’s desk.
Lake County
Articles
Bill expands merit selection
Lawmakers consider election vs. selection of Superior county judges in Lake County.
Justices put school board member back on Hammond mayoral ballot
The Indiana Supreme Court late Thursday reversed a decision from a Lake Superior judge and put a nonpartisan school board member back on the ballot for the Hammond mayoral run in the upcoming primary election.
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.
COA: Attorney entitled to lien on former client’s file
An attorney doesn’t have to produce documentation of the amount of money a former client owes in order to have a valid retaining lien, ruled the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Case asks whether school board members can run for political office
A Lake Superior judge may not be breaking any new legal ground with an election-related ruling this week, but he’s set the stage for an appeal that could clear up confusion about whether nonpartisan school board members must give up their right to run for a public office that requires the candidate to declare their political party affiliation.
Appellate court affirms arbitration on claims against college
With one judge frustrated that Indiana residents and students may have been “hornswoggled” by a college’s advertisements about being accredited, the Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld an order compelling arbitration on a claim that three students were fraudulently induced to enroll because of misrepresentation about that accreditation.
President shares MCBA goals
Minority bar associations continue to benefit the Indiana legal community by offering diverse perspectives. Members benefit from networking opportunities, and the bars help to maintain a positive professional presence in the communities they serve.
AG wants trustee for casino revenue
Two days of court mediation are scheduled in mid-April for the long-running litigation concerning East Chicago casino revenue and economic development agreements, but the Indiana attorney general wants the city council to consider setting up a trusteeship for the millions of dollars generated through those agreements.
Encouraging diversity in CASA programs
Having volunteers and staff who can relate to families that interact with Court Appointed Special Advocates programs has proven invaluable to a number of county-level CASA programs in Indiana. Indianapolis-based Child Advocates Inc. received the National CASA Inclusion Award for its inclusion and diversity plan March 20 at the National CASA conference in Chicago.
First impression case tackles wetlands issue
In a case of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals concluded that a landowner who raises the subterranean water table on his land and creates a federally regulated wetland may not invoke the common enemy doctrine of water diversion and be shielded from liability to adjoining landowners whose properties as a result become federally regulated wetlands.
Unified courts, judicial nomination bills move
Several bills of impact on the courts saw action this week before the Indiana General Assembly shut down for two days after a winter storm hit the state.
Hammond District court closed Thursday
The Clerk’s Office and Hammond District Court in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana remain closed Thursday due to weather conditions.
Panel criticizes late discovery introduction
While recognizing that the state’s practice of allowing late introduction of evidence basically rewards attorneys who don’t prepare for trial, the Indiana Court of Appeals looked beyond that practice in a recent decison to how the rules still protect a person’s right to a fair trial.
Retiring Lake Circuit judge marks 34 years on bench
Lake Circuit Judge Lorenzo Arredondo didn’t set out to make history when he took the bench more than three decades ago. But thanks to what he describes as an array of “historical accidents” over the course of his life, the 69-year old has cemented his name in the history books.
COA rules in favor of town on breach of contract claim
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed partial summary judgment to a city that collected a lower monthly bill rate than what was required for wastewater treatment from a town for 15 years and then sued to recover more than $500,000 it believed was owed to it. The city never informed the town the sewage treatment rate increased or that it was embroiled in a lawsuit over the matter.
Local courts, educational program named after 3 Indiana jurists
The practice of naming a building after someone is a longstanding tradition throughout the country, but one of the most common practices in those renamings is waiting until someone dies to dedicate that place.
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.
Corporate attorney serves as insurer’s litigation counsel
Crown Point attorney Shontrai Irving may be considered a success story in the legal world with multiple awards illustrating his experience in the corporate, criminal, and civil sides of the law. But that’s only one part of what he does, and while he loves the lawyering, it’s not what makes him the most proud.