Pittman family members settle lawsuits over real estate holdings
The deal paves the way for two previously approved mixed-use real estate projects in Carmel and Zionsville to finally move forward.
Lawsuits
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Counterclaim in Hendricks County CAFO fight tossed by trial court
With a simple “no,” the Hendricks Superior Court uprooted a pair of counterclaims that sprouted from nearly six years of litigation between long-time neighbors over a concentrated animal feeding operation that called into question the constitutionality of Indiana’s Right to Farm Act and asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a review.
AG argues governor not allowed to override Legislature’s veto
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is doubling down on his argument that the governor cannot turn to the courts to settle the dispute over House Enrolled Act 1123, asserting the executive branch is attempting to use the judiciary to demand a “super” veto of the Legislature.
Supreme Court: Guam can pursue $160M dump cleanup lawsuit
The Supreme Court says the U.S. territory of Guam can pursue a $160 million lawsuit against the federal government over the cost of cleaning up a landfill on the island.
Retired cop put in chokehold takes police case to high court
A 70-year-old man arriving for dental work at the VA was put in a chokehold and thrown to the ground by federal police officers in an altercation that was caught on camera. The man, Jose Oliva, is asking the Supreme Court to revive his lawsuit and the justices could say what they’re going to do as early as Monday.
Indiana among states suing Frontier for delivering slow internet
The Federal Trade Commission and six states including Indiana are suing Frontier Communications for not delivering the internet speeds it promised customers and charging them for better, more expensive service than they actually got.
Holcomb claims Rokita seeking to expand power of attorney general’s office
As part of his battle with the Legislature over executive powers, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is accusing Attorney General Todd Rokita of creating a legal fiction in order to expand the attorney general’s “authority beyond his statutory duties and powers.”
Justices consider hearing a case on ‘most offensive word’
In a case focusing on elevator graffiti, Robert Collier is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether a single use of the N-word in the workplace can create a hostile work environment, giving an employee the ability to pursue a case under Title VII of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964.
‘Ordered freedom’: AG Rokita sets agenda focused on ‘liberty’
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita recently sat down with Indiana Lawyer to answer questions about his first 100 days in office and his agenda for the next four years.
After veto override, governor turns to courts
In the legal brawl between Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana General Assembly over who has the power to call the Statehouse into a special session, the Marion Superior Court will first have to determine which lawyers are actually representing the executive branch.
Ruesch: Insurance industry responses to 2020 and future trends
As the workforce continues to adapt to and accept this “new normal,” the insurance industry is also adjusting and evolving and introducing new methods of doing business that will impact in-house and outside practitioners alike. Here are some 2021 industry trends that we will likely see.
Suit seeks direct election of Lake County judges, says merit selection discriminatory
A federal lawsuit filed by the Democratic mayor of Hammond and a Lake County attorney argues that Indiana’s judicial nominating system that appoints judges in the state’s four most diverse counties is racially discriminatory. Judges in Lake County should be directly elected or judges statewide should be appointed through merit selection, the suit says.
Critics say Indiana COVID-19 law allows nursing home neglect
Advocates for nursing home residents say they worry a new Indiana law expanding COVID-19 liability protections for health care providers will effectively block many lawsuits over neglect and substandard treatment that weren’t caused by the pandemic.
Hospital indemnity claim against doctors subject to med-mal act, COA rules
Indemnity claims brought by one health care provider against another are subject to the Indiana Medical Malpractice Act, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, finding the language of the MMA is not limited to claims brought by patients or their representatives. The court issued its ruling in a case involving a dispute between a hospital and independent radiologists.
AG Rokita files motion to strike governor’s lawsuit
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita filed a motion to strike Friday to have the Marion Superior Court toss the governor’s lawsuit over executive powers, arguing in part, “the Governor cannot merely sue the legislature over laws he does not like.”
Indiana ‘abortion reversal’ bill signed by governor
Doctors in Indiana would be required to tell women undergoing drug-induced abortions about a disputed treatment for potentially stopping the abortion process under a measure that’s been signed into law.
Census Bureau: 70% of voters cast ballots early or by mail
More than two-thirds of all U.S. citizens of the voting age population participated in the 2020 presidential election, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report, and 69% of those cast ballots by mail or early in-person voting — methods that Republicans in some states are curtailing.
Lawyers question Rokita’s actions in lawsuit filed by governor
Attorney General Todd Rokita’s move to insert himself into the dispute between Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana General Assembly over executive power is being challenged by members of the legal profession who see the state’s top lawyer as violating his oath and overstepping his authority.
Wary Supreme Court weighs student’s Snapchat profanity case
A wary Supreme Court on Wednesday weighed whether public schools can discipline students for things they say off campus, worrying about overly restricting speech on the one hand and leaving educators powerless to deal with bullying on the other.
Supreme Court wrestles with New Jersey pipeline case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday wrestled with how to resolve a clash between the state of New Jersey and a pipeline company over land the company needs for a natural gas pipeline.