Former Muncie mayor faces bribery sentencing next month
A former Indiana mayor is set to find out his punishment next month on federal charges of taking a $5,000 bribe in exchange for steering city projects to a contractor.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
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State denied summary judgment on former DOC officer’s sexual harassment, retaliation claims
The state of Indiana must face sexual harassment and retaliation claims filed by a female former correctional officer, though the woman’s sex discrimination claim has been dismissed with prejudice.
7th Circuit upholds convictions for drug ringleader Grundy, multiple crew members
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld convictions for Indianapolis drug kingpin Richard Grundy and members of his crew following their 2019 convictions in a wide-ranging trafficking conspiracy. But the court did reverse two convictions for one member of Grundy’s team, finding evidence “left a reasonable doubt” that he committed the crimes.
Pendleton high school sued for alleged violations of students’ rights in gay-straight alliance
A central Indiana school corporation has been accused of violating the constitutional rights of students participating in the local high school’s gay-straight alliance.
Bloomington man sentenced to life in prison granted compassionate release
A Bloomington man sentenced to life in prison 30 years ago on drug and firearm charges has been granted compassionate release by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana through the First Step Act.
RE/MAX claims franchisee steered brokers to competitor
RE/MAX is suing one of its local franchisees for allegedly instructing his employees to join a national competitor so that he could later follow them and collect a recruitment bonus.
7th Circuit: Collection agency entitled to fees after woman defaulted on small hospital debt
A collection agency didn’t violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act when it attempted to collect attorney fees and “fees-on-fees” from an Indianapolis woman who defaulted on a small debt to an Indiana hospital system, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
Maley: Third-party subpoenas: Advance service compliance
Federal practitioners regularly issue and respond to third-party subpoenas for documents. Expansive revisions to Rule 45 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure were made in 2013, but many subpoenas are still issued that do not comply. One of the most common issues is failing to serve parties with the third-party subpoena prior to (or even after) service on the third party.
7th Circuit denies appeal for habeas corpus relief
In a case presenting a “rare circumstance” that “few if any other federal prisoners face,” the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana did not err in denying habeas corpus relief to an Indiana man on Friday. The 7th Circuit did acknowledge, however, the appellant’s argument that his counsel was ineffective by not challenging whether his drug convictions were predicates would succeed today.
Adult store granted temporary restraining order against Town of Clarksville
An adult store seeking to set up shop in Clarksville was granted its motion Tuesday for a temporary restraining against the town, which it contends is in the process of amending zoning ordinances to permanently prevent the store’s operation before it can even begin.
Trailblazing judge featured as part of Hispanic Heritage Month in Southern Indiana District
Chief Judge Juan R. Sánchez of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will be the keynote speaker at the fifth annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration hosted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Indiana State Bar Association Latino Affairs Committee.
Indy environmental cleanup case partially remanded on liability questions
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated an Indiana Southern District Court ruling in an environmental cleanup dispute in Indianapolis, finding its determinations on apportionment and allocation of liability required remand.
Lawsuit: Evansville police caused Pennsylvania man’s death
The family of a Pennsylvania man who died in Evansville police custody in 2019 after struggling with officers is suing the city and three officers, alleging they caused his death by using excessive force.
Court rules IU’s access of data on ID cards did not violate Constitution
Four Indiana University students failed to persuade a federal court that their privacy rights were violated when the school tracked their movements through the data gathered from their university identification cards as part of an investigation into a suspected fraternity hazing incident.
Lawsuit accuses Lilly of favoring millennials over older job applicants
Eli Lilly and Co. refuses to interview and hire older workers, systematically favoring recent college graduates and other younger applicants, a new lawsuit alleges.
Training offered for attorney volunteers in Indiana Southern District Court
Indiana attorneys interested in joining the pool of volunteers at the Southern Indiana District Court are invited to attend a one-hour training session in October to learn more about representing indigent litigants as part of the court’s recruited counsel program.
Title IX case against IU Medical School officials continues to summary judgment
A Title IX lawsuit filed by a former student against the Indiana University School of Medicine and its top officials will be able to partially continue after a federal court allowed certain due process allegations arising from the expulsion to proceed.
Federal courts impose new COVID-19 restrictions amid surge
Just as in-person hearings and trials resumed at courthouses around the country, a surge of coronavirus cases sparked by the delta variant has prompted some federal courts to impose new restrictions and requirements for mask-wearing and vaccinations.
Federal judge denies state’s stay pending appeal of expansive abortion ruling
Following an expansive decision that both struck down and upheld numerous provisions of Indiana’s abortion regulation code, a federal judge has declined the state’s request to stay enforcement of that decision pending appeal.
Fired Roncalli counselor Starkey appeal brings ‘ministerial exception’ back to 7th Circuit
Lynn Starkey, the long-time educator fired from Roncalli High School for being married to a woman, is appealing a decision from the Southern Indiana District Court that is potentially the first to extend the “ministerial exception” to cover school guidance counselors.