Ex-Supreme Court employee suing high court for discrimination, retaliation
A former Indiana Supreme Court employee is suing the state’s highest court for alleged ongoing disability discrimination and retaliatory actions.
mental health
Articles
Hogsett pushes ‘bold’ criminal justice reform
The new jail proposal also emphasizes early intervention, treatment and diversion.
COA reaffirms decision imposing sanctions on mental health service provider
The Indiana Court of Appeals has reaffirmed an earlier decision finding that sanctions against a mental health provider were warranted, making clear Friday that it fully understood why the sanctions were imposed.
Errors lead to reversal of veteran’s involuntary commitment
A trial court’s order mandating the involuntary commitment of a veteran has been vacated after the Indiana Court of Appeals found that the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to follow proper legal protocol in serving documents and did not prove that the veteran posed a risk to himself or others.
Mental defect defense sought for woman in Amber Alert deaths
Attorneys for an Indiana woman accused of abducting her two young children and smothering them are seeking a defense of mental disease or defect for her.
Rule amended to exclude mental health cases from public access
Records in some mental health cases may now be kept from the public after the Indiana Supreme Court added an amendment to an existing rule dealing with access to court records.
COA affirms woman’s involuntary commitment despite moot appeal
Although the term of her commitment in an Indiana mental health facility had already expired, the Indiana Court of Appeals chose Thursday to hear a woman’s moot appeal of her commitment and affirm it, writing that the case needed to be heard as a matter of great public importance.
Competency evaluation sought for mom in Amber Alert deaths
The attorney for an Indiana woman accused of smothering her two children after abducting them is seeking a competency evaluation for her.
Judge: Man incompetent to stand trial for killing officer
A man accused of fatally shooting an Indianapolis police officer two years ago has been found incompetent to stand trial.
7th Circuit: Schizophrenia meets ‘severe impairment’ requirement for disability insurance
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that an undisputed diagnosis of schizophrenia should be considered a “severe impairment,” an opinion that will allow an Indiana man to have another chance to receive disability insurance benefits after he was forced to quit his job because of his mental illness.
Man who attacked officers not insane during incident
The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected a defendant’s claim that he was insane when he charged at, bit and spit at officers while he was in jail, but that his behavior was a result of his drug withdrawal.
COA finds no evidence of severe mental illness to prohibit pro se proceedings
A woman’s convictions for possession of controlled substances and operating a vehicle while intoxicated will stand after the Indiana Court of Appeals found Wednesday that she did not suffer from a severe mental illness that should have precluded her from proceeding pro se.
Report: Segregation can lead to increased symptoms of mental illness in inmates
A new report from an inmates-rights advocacy group is calling for fewer prison inmates to be placed in segregation based on research that shows that segregation can lead to a higher risk for mental illness.
Hinckley to move to mother’s home in Virginia
The man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan 35 years ago will leave a Washington psychiatric hospital to live full-time in Virginia on Sept. 10, his lawyer said Thursday.
State seeks mental health, addiction professionals for symposium
State agencies hosting a September forum to raise awareness of mental illness and addiction are seeking professionals to discuss solutions at the eighth annual Indiana Annual Recovery Month Symposium Sept. 26-27.
Mistrial declared in Evansville man’s explosives case
A mistrial has been declared in the case of an Evansville man accused of setting a fire at his apartment and leaving a bomb near a restaurant last year.
Judge: Man should be civilly committed, not incarcerated
Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Paul Mathias again used an opinion to highlight problems he sees in the criminal justice system when dealing with defendants with mental health issues.
Plea agreement provision ‘constitutionally suspect,’ COA finds
A man who had taken steps to prepare for home detention but was committed for mental health reasons when he was to report to community corrections should not have been ordered to serve his sentence in the Department of Correction, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
Indianapolis police create behavioral health units
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has created behavioral health units pairing specially trained officers with mental health experts to find people in crisis and divert them to appropriate programs and services.
Panel looks at progress of criminal justice system overhaul
A group of experts from Indiana's judicial and legal system know they have their work cut out for them as they try to change the nature of the state's criminal justice system.