Federal judge weighs order to halt homeless camp sweeps
A federal judge is weighing whether to issue an order barring Fort Wayne from conducting periodic sweeps of the city's homeless camps.
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Indiana ministry sues zoning board over dairy farm approval
An eastern Indiana ministry that operates a children's church camp is suing zoning officials over their approval of a large dairy farm that would be built within a half-mile of the camp.
COA: Court cannot order juvenile to pay restitution as a civil judgment
The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled a trial court may not order a juvenile to pay restitution as a civil judgment after a minor was ordered to pay restitution in two cases where he violated his probation.
Lawyers scatter after century-old Carmel firm closes
A 100-year-old law firm in Hamilton County has dissolved, and a majority of its attorneys have launched new practices.
Opinions May 27, 2016
Indiana Court of Appeals
J.B. v. State of Indiana
49A02-1509-JV-1372
Juvenile. Rules a trial court cannot order a juvenile to pay restitution as a civil judgment after the court ordered $1,250 in fees for breaking probation in four causes. The order was rescinded so the matter was moot, but the court ruled on the case for public interest.
Man charged in Madison bombings targeting police, judge
Federal authorities announced Friday a 37-year-old Madison man has been charged in connection with two pipe bombings that rattled the Ohio River city in March.
Indiana Supreme Court deadlocks on protective order case
The Indiana Supreme Court reinstated an Indiana Court of Appeals decision in a protection order case it took on transfer after the four justices deadlocked on how to resolve the case.
Valparaiso woman gets $200K for sexual harassment at Purdue
Attorneys for a Valparaiso woman say Purdue University has paid her a $200,000 settlement after she alleged she was sexually harassed by two professors while serving as a graduate student and teaching assistant.
7th Circuit grants en banc hearing in Indiana prison death suit
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals set aside its ruling affirming summary judgment in favor of a medical services provider in an Indiana prison death lawsuit, ordering a review by the full panel of circuit judges.
Opinions May 26, 2016
Indiana Court of Appeals
John Doe #1, et al. v. Indiana Department of Child Services
49A02-1506-CT-682
Civil tort. Reverses and remands summary judgment in favor of Indiana Department of Child Services after court found in a 2-1 decision DCS had the duty under common law to protect the identity of a caller who reported children as being in need of services. Chief Judge Nancy Vaidik dissents, noting she doesn’t think the code which DCS broke by identifying him supplies a private right of action.
Michigan governor halts internal Flint probes after prosecutors object
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday called for an end to civil and administrative investigations into how two state agencies contributed to Flint's lead-tainted drinking water crisis, after being warned they are hampering state and federal criminal probes.
Billionaires are allowed to pay for people to sue their enemies
One of the weirder court cases in recent memory became even stranger this week when news broke that Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker was being secretly funded by billionaire Peter Thiel.
Indiana law change reduces state audits of local government
A change in Indiana state law has meant that audits of local governments are being done less often.
COA upholds adoption venue transfer
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld transfer of an adoption petition from Greene to Monroe County Circuit Court, ruling Monroe was the preferred venue because of other cases related to the petition that also were happening there.
Recount set in Drake v. Orentlicher congressional primary race
The Indiana Election Commission on Thursday ordered a recount in a Democratic congressional primary election that pitted two attorneys vying to run against three-term incumbent Republican Rep. Larry Bucshon.
COA: Man did not have expectation of privacy after he was tracked by GPS
Tracking of man by GPS did not violate his Fourth Amendment or Indiana constitutional rights, the Court of Appeals ruled, because he did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. The appellate court upheld Joseph Sidener's Class C felony burglary conviction and the finding he is an habitual offender.
COA rules DCS has duty to protect caller’s identity
The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in a 2-1 decision the Indiana Department of Child Services had a duty to protect a man’s identity after he called the DCS hotline and reported his neighbors’ children as children in need of services.
Evansville reaches settlement over SWAT raid lawsuit
The city of Evansville has reached a court settlement with a woman whose home was damaged during a SWAT raid as investigators searched for the source of online threats against police.
IU challenges part of new abortion restrictions law
The Indiana University board of trustees and three of the school's research officials filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block part of the state's new abortion law that bars them from acquiring fetal tissue for scientific purposes.
7th Circuit upholds lifetime supervised release
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed a federal judge’s findings and explanations were sufficient to support lifetime supervised release for 66-year-old man in poor health.