Technology - The Indiana Lawyer

NDLS alum’s ‘Ironclad’ aims to help lawyers focus on lawyering

May 15, 2018

Attorney-turned-technology-entrepreneur Jason Boehmig knew from his time working as a law firm associate that creating software for the legal profession would be complicated. The legal profession had not adopted technology like other industries such as sales, finance, and human resources, but Boehmig believed law firms and legal departments would inevitably start incorporating software and hardware specifically made to help attorneys do their jobs.

SEO Pleading the 5th mode (IL Illustration/Brad Turner)

Court order to access smartphone stirs 5th amendment concerns

May 15, 2018

When does an action become testimonial? What role do technological advances play in Fifth Amendment analyses? When can law enforcement compel people to unlock their cellphones without infringing on constitutional rights? The Indiana Court of Appeals is grappling with those questions as it considers a Fifth Amendment case of first impression.

Lake County preparing for switch to Odyssey this month

May 8, 2018

Lake County will become the 62^nd of Indiana’s 92 counties to adopt the online Odyssey case management system when it makes the transition on May 21.

Confinement conviction reversed; robbery, burglary counts stand

May 4, 2018

Burglary and robbery convictions against a man convicted in a Marion County break-in will stand, but related criminal confinement convictions must be vacated because the confinement was “part and parcel” of the underlying robbery, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

Lake County courts to switch to online filing system in May

April 23, 2018

Court officials in northwestern Indiana’s Lake County plan to switch next month to an online filing system that’s already used by nearly three-quarters of Indiana’s counties.

Questions about PACER fees swirling in court disputes

April 17, 2018

Just about any discussion of the federal judiciary’s online document system, PACER, will quickly turn to a questioning of the fees charged for accessing filings and why the information is not available for free. A recent ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia provided insight into the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system’s financial health and raised more questions.

Mueller examining Cambridge Analytica, Trump campaign ties

March 22, 2018

Special counsel Robert Mueller is scrutinizing the connections between President Donald Trump’s campaign and the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica, which has come under fierce criticism over reports that it swiped the data of more than 50 million Facebook users to sway elections.

Senate committee approves bill allowing e-signatures on probate documents

February 21, 2018

The electronic signing of estate planning documents is one step closer to becoming legal under Indiana law after a Senate committee passed e-signing legislation on Wednesday. The measure passed the House last month.

Notre Dame law students’ Impowerus wins raves for empowering immigrant teens

February 20, 2018

Notre Dame Law students created an online platform — Impowerus — designed to connect pro bono attorneys with people who need legal services. What sets this product apart from the other sites is its focus — a specific demographic, immigrant youth — and its aim to be self-sufficient, charging lawyers licensing fees rather than relying on donations.

Ruesch: Cyberinsurance outlook for 2018: Risks evolve, as does coverage

February 20, 2018

While businesses and industries across the board continue to address how best to evolve their data security and practices to, at the very least, minimize the risk of a cyberattack, the insurance industry is also evolving and working with these companies to produce and market insurance policies and products to respond to a cyber event.

Christensen, Haller and Barberio: E-Discovery — Using technology to manage technology

February 6, 2018

Recent advances in technology assisted review, or TAR, significantly reduce the time and cost to review data to cull responsive documents.

Kilies: Discover a way to avoid the document dump

February 6, 2018

In a case where lots of documents are expected, an online platform can be used to exchange some of them. Given the time and expense associated with the discovery process, we must find creative ways to make the process less burdensome.

Emerging smart contracts offer possibilities and risks

February 6, 2018

Though the idea of smart contracts was first proposed by computer scientist Nick Szabo almost 25 years ago, only recently has true potential of the format begun to be realized. Smart contracts soon may change the way many lawyers practice.

Rush: Courts ready for hope-filled future

January 23, 2018

It’s no secret the ongoing opioid epidemic has ravaged nearly every corner of the Hoosier state, sending thousands to court on drug charges, ballooning the number of children in need of services and more. But even as the drug crisis strains Indiana’s judicial resources, Chief Justice Loretta Rush said new court programs and technology have positioned the judiciary to meet the crisis head-on and lead the state into a “hope-filled future.”

Child support network faces fear of collapse

January 23, 2018

Several times while talking about the statewide computer system that keeps track of child support money, John Owens rapped his knuckles on the nearest piece of wood. Indiana’s technology, dubbed ISETS, processes almost $1 billion in child support payments every year. However, the Department of Child Services says in a report that ISETS is “built on dying technology” from the 1980s. The concern is one day, it will crash for good.

2018 State of the Judiciary set for next week

January 4, 2018

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush will discuss the judiciary’s continued efforts toward expanding court technology, addressing the opioid crisis and other related topics during her 2018 State of the Judiciary address next week.

Courts enter final year of e-filing rollout

January 3, 2018

The Benton Circuit Court implemented mandatory electronic case filing on Tuesday, the first court to move to a mandatory system in 2018 as the state continues its push to introduce e-filing to all Indiana counties by the end of the year.

Legal tech experts: Virtual reality is coming to courts

December 12, 2017

Though the prospect of virtual reality as a litigation tool seems improbable now, legal tech experts predict that in coming years, VR will appear regularly in courtrooms. That time is likely still years away, they said, but predecessor technology is already popping up in court now, preparing jurors, judges and attorneys for the day when futuristic technology becomes commonplace.

IMPD officer charged with obstruction of justice, may be fired

November 30, 2017

A 10-year veteran of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department accused of deleting cell phone messages made to an 18-year-old female acquaintance who committed suicide has been arrested on a charge of felony obstruction of justice and has been recommended for termination from the force.

Plugged In: A positive Outlook for the holiday season

November 14, 2017

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season just around the corner, many of us need time-saving tips to keep us on task. Oftentimes, the details of upcoming appointments and events lurk just a few clicks away and can be easily added to your Outlook calendar.

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