Holcomb extends Stage 4.5 of Indiana’s recovery plan through Sept. 25
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday said he would issue an executive order to keep the state in Stage 4.5 of its pandemic recovery plan through Sept. 25.
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Settlement program aims to reduce eviction filings
The Indiana Supreme Court is launching a new mediation program to help stem the anticipated flood of evictions by facilitating settlement agreements between tenants facing eviction and landlords trying to collect rent.
Court ruling against Indiana no-excuse absentee voting appealed
A federal appeals court is being asked to take an expedited appeal of a ruling against no-excuse absentee voting in Indiana’s Nov. 3 general election, or to enter an immediate injunction that would permit all Hoosiers to vote by mail due to the pandemic.
Indiana Supreme Court Law Library reopens by appointment
The Indiana Supreme Court Law Library has reopened to the public by appointment only after a months-long closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Southern District to resume jury trials next week
The Indiana Southern District Courts will resume jury trials next week following a COVID-19 suspension that’s been in effect since March. Potential jurors still may be excluded from service upon a showing of “undue hardship or extreme inconvenience,” the court said.
Indiana’s limits on absentee balloting upheld by federal court
An attempt to allow all eligible Hoosiers to vote by mail in the November general election has been thwarted by a federal judge who ruled the limits on absentee balloting do not deny state residents their fundamental right to vote.
Biden vows to defeat Trump, end ‘season of darkness’
Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination with a vow to be a unifying “ally of the light” who would move an America in crisis past the chaos of President Donald Trump’s tenure.
ILS helping vulnerable Hoosiers get stimulus checks
Indiana Legal Services has launched a public education campaign to help all eligible Hoosiers access their federal stimulus payments, noting millions of dollars could remain unclaimed unless individuals act before the Oct. 15 deadline.
More than 30,000 Hoosiers apply for state rental assistance
More than 30,000 Hoosiers who have fallen behind on rent because of the COVID-19 pandemic have applied for financial assistance from the state — nearly triple the amount Indiana officials originally expected.
Indiana expects to begin offering $300 unemployment bonuses next month
Indiana has applied for the federal government’s Lost Wages Assistance program and hopes to begin delivering the $300 supplemental weekly payments to most people receiving unemployment benefits in the next month or so.
Democrats nominate Biden for epic challenge to oust Trump
Democrats formally nominated Joe Biden as their presidential candidate, with party elders, a new generation of politicians and voters in every state joining in an extraordinary, pandemic-cramped virtual convention to send him into the general election campaign to oust President Donald Trump.
Notre Dame cancels classes for 2 weeks after COVID-19 spike
The University of Notre Dame on Tuesday canceled in-person undergraduate classes for two weeks after a spike of coronavirus cases that occurred after the semester began Aug. 10.
Unexpected lessons in getting back to class
This back-to-school season is like no other. What was expected in March to be a temporary closure due to COVID-19 has spilled into August, leaving teachers, administrators, students and parents at a loss for what to expect.
Changing needs: Pandemic shifting client priorities now, in the future
The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal profession has been a mixed bag. In some ways, the law, like many other industries, has suffered. Corporate clients are pulling purse strings tighter, while practice areas such as personal injury have seen a slowdown in cases. But in other ways, the pandemic has been a boon for lawyers.
IndyBar: Don’t Quit Your Day Job: Three Ways to Tackle E-Learning and Stay Productive at Work
I bet most of you reading this are better at lawyering than teaching. I know I am. Yet, many lawyer parents across the greater Indianapolis community, and all over the country, are finding themselves in the role of teacher this fall as many schools are starting the year in a virtual format or a hybrid in-person and virtual format. As working parents, and especially as lawyers who bill for their time, we are up against some bad math.
IndyBar: Fiduciary Duties — More than Just the Golden Rule
The unique financial problems occasioned by COVID-19 and the lockdown responses of federal, state and municipal governments draw into sharp focus the fiduciary duties of directors and officers when addressing economic distress for their entities.
IndyBar: In the Age of COVID-19, the Force Majeure Clause Takes Center Stage
Recently, in the case of In re Hitz Restaurant Group (2020 Bankr. LEXIS 1470 (N.D. Ill. June 2, 2020)), the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois-Eastern Division held that a force majeure clause in a lease excused a restaurant tenant from its obligation to pay a portion of post-petition rent.
IU McKinney professors contribute to assessment of U.S. response to COVID-19
United States policy response to COVID-19 has been dangerously lacking, according to a recent report authored partially by two Indianapolis law professors. The new report recommends steps to safeguard health as well as civil and human rights.
Marion County courts plan to resume jury trials
Following a months-long hiatus, the largest county court system in Indiana will resume felony jury trials next week. The Marion Superior Courts announced that major felony trials will resume Monday, while low-level felony, misdemeanor and civil jury trials will resume the week of Sept. 14.
Supreme Court allows cameras in courtrooms for COVID-19 PSAs
The Indiana Supreme Court is easing the rules against cameras in the courtroom to allow counties to produce videos that instruct the public on COVID-19 procedures in courthouses.