Lawyer charged with defrauding elderly pleads guilty
A former South Bend lawyer who was charged with scamming elderly investors has pleaded guilty to some charges in the case.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
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Northern District Bankruptcy Court to transition to NextGen CM/ECF
In a few short months, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Indiana will upgrade its current case management and electronic filing system to the next generation of CM/ECF.
Web Exclusive: Federal judiciary tightens sex harassment rules
The way the federal court system addresses sexual harassment complaints should be clearer and fairer moving forward now that the federal judiciary has made clarifying amendments to its workplace conduct rules.
Suspended attorney to serve 6 months for bankruptcy fraud, embezzlement
A suspended Fort Wayne attorney will serve six months in jail and has been ordered to pay nearly $240,000 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to embezzlement and tax fraud charges stemming from personal and client bankruptcy proceedings.
Elkhart officers indicted for beating handcuffed suspect
Two Elkhart police officers who are alleged to have repeatedly punched a handcuffed man were indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Hammond for using excessive force against an arrestee.
Web Exclusive: Litigation continues over PACER fees
A group of retired federal judges has learned life after the bench comes with PACER fees, and they are lending their voice to those questioning fees for public access to online federal court records.
Attorneys share discovery in Elkhart woman’s terror case
Prosecutors have said they are still determining which confidential items they can share with attorneys defending an Indiana woman who is accused of providing tactical gear and funds to two Islamic State fighters. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abizer Zanzi said at a status hearing in federal court Thursday that the government has shared discovery that is not confidential with the attorneys for Samantha Elhassani.
U.S. Courts report immigration cases soar, district court filings rise
Immigration prosecutions increased 37 percent last year while overall filings in federal district courts rose 7 percent, according to the United States Courts’ 2018 Annual Report and Court Statistics. The report released Tuesday also found that filings in federal courts of appeal declined 2 percent in 2018.
Judge rejects Elkhart’s subpoena for newspaper records
A federal judge has rejected the City of Elkhart’s attempt to force a newspaper to turn over records of its reporting on a Chicago man who was pardoned after a decade in prison and is suing the Indiana city for wrongful conviction.
Northern District seeks comments on amended local rules
Public comment is sought on proposed revisions of several local rules for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.
Medicaid thief loses appeal of ‘vulnerable victim’ convictions
A woman who defrauded a technology illiterate physician out of more than $80,000 lost her appeal Thursday when the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals found the woman took advantage of the doctor’s "remarkable" computer illiteracy for personal financial gain.
Northern District nominees sent to Senate floor after judiciary committee votes
Holly Brady and Damon Leichty, nominees to the Northern Indiana District Court, are a step closer to confirmation after the US. Senate Committee on the Judiciary voted in favor of their nominations Thursday and sent their names to the Senate floor.
Judiciary chiefs, legal leaders offer women in the law advice
A recent discussion highlighted women judicial leaders and lawyers working in both state and federal law, giving them the opportunity to share their struggles and advice for young female barristers striving to advance in their legal careers.
Judge: Exonerated man’s suit against Elkhart police may proceed
A civil rights lawsuit filed by pardoned ex-prisoner Keith Cooper has been allowed to continue, with a federal judge ruling Tuesday that Cooper’s federal malicious prosecution and related claims are not time-barred. However, the judge also raised questions as to whether the relevant statute of limitations should be revised.
Senate Judiciary Democrats hold over federal judicial nominees
In holding over nearly 50 judicial nominees Tuesday, including two renominees for the Northern Indiana District Court, Democrats on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee called for a return to the traditions of honoring blue slips and relying on the American Bar Association’s evaluations.
Judge to DOC: Restore credit time for ‘unreasonable and arbitrary’ sanction
The Department of Correction must restore nearly six months of lost credit time to a Westville inmate after a federal judge determined the inmate’s disciplinary loss of credit time was “unreasonable and arbitrary.
Indiana federal courts work as funds dwindle amid shutdown
In the Southern and Northern Indiana district courts, no workers have been furloughed and no pay periods have been skipped, but with the federal judiciary estimating it has funding only to sustain current levels of operations through the end of January, Hoosier jurisdictions are preparing for potential changes.
Brady, Leichty renominated to Northern Indiana District Court
The two nominees for the Northern Indiana District Court are among 51 judicial candidates the White House has renominated for the federal bench.
Ex-Gary city employee convicted in scheme to resell electronics
A former government employee in northwestern Indiana has been convicted in a scheme to use funds from the City of Gary to buy more than 1,000 pieces of computer equipment that she then resold.
South Bend attorney wanted for mail fraud arrested in Florida
An Indiana attorney wanted on several charges of mail fraud against elderly victims he allegedly exploited as part of an investment scheme has been arrested after federal authorities found him in Florida, according to the FBI.