Articles

Indiana Supreme Court hears arguments in home explosion appeal

Defense counsel for Mark Leonard, the man convicted of killing two people in a 2012 home explosion, argued before the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday that Leonard’s constitutional rights to an attorney were violated when an undercover officer posed as a hitman in prison and questioned Leonard, without his attorney present, about his plan to have a key witness killed.

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60 teachers to get Supreme Court education

Sixty teachers from schools in 35 Indiana counties will take part next week in a court education and history program sponsored by the Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Historical Society. Judges and lawyers nominated the educators earlier this year.

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$25M verdict poses tough questions for COA

Hearing arguments about a case that resulted in what may be among the largest awards for loss of consortium, the Indiana Court of Appeals repeatedly questioned what amount of damages is too much and when a jury’s decision should be overturned.

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Caseworker vs. DCS

Despite a caseworker’s lawsuit against the Indiana Department of Child Services, her employer says she’s right: There aren’t enough caseworkers to handle the exploding growth in cases of Indiana children and families in crisis. But that’s where the agreement ends.

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DCS agrees more caseworkers needed, argues against suit

Indiana’s Legislature and governor have failed to provide resources to ensure sufficient case managers to protect children and families, a lawyer representing the Department of Child Services told the Indiana Court of Appeals Wednesday. But she argued a caseworker’s lawsuit against the agency was the wrong way to enforce state law requiring those workers have no more than 17 cases each.

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Supreme Court hears arguments in threat case

The Indiana Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday morning on whether to grant transfer in a case on the question of whether an arrestee’s statement could be considered a true threat because there is no evidence that the officer felt threatened by it.

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Are old convictions still relevant?

A man who admitted fault and negligence for a Lake County drunken-driving crash is appealing damages of $2 million awarded in the case, claiming the jury was wrongly provided evidence of his prior alcohol-related driving convictions that were 17 and 30 years old.

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Justices weigh duty of care for house party hosts

Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven David posed a graphic hypothetical to an attorney defending a liability suit against a homeowner who hosted a party where a guest died after a fight. David’s scenario encapsulated the justices’ apparent concern over a trial court’s grant of summary judgment in the homeowner’s favor.

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Dickson hears final argument in historic Corydon courthouse

The Indiana Supreme Court’s five justices traveled to Corydon Wednesday to hear arguments in a modern case presented in the original Supreme Court courtroom built for just three justices. The event was part of the celebration of the state’s bicentennial and also was Justice Brent Dickson’s final oral argument.

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