Articles

7th Circuit temporarily stays federal execution set for next week

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily stayed an execution scheduled for next week after finding that two issues raised by a Terre Haute inmate were “worthy of further exploration.” Wesley Ira Purkey’s execution was scheduled for July 15, but now it will be stayed “pending the completion of proceedings in the Seventh Circuit.”

Read More

Federal court blocks Indiana panhandling law

In an order that noted Americans exercising their First Amendment rights against racial inequality and quoting Frederick Douglass on the sacred right of free speech, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday preventing Indiana’s new panhandling law from taking effect Wednesday.

Read More

Southern Indiana District sets reopening for July 6

The federal courthouses in the Southern Indiana District will reopen to the public July 6 and in-person court proceedings will begin resuming on a staggered schedule. All individuals will be required to answer screening questions to be allowed inside courthouses and to wear facemasks in all public spaces.

Read More

New and improved PACER system unveiled

The electronic PACER federal court records system is sporting a new look and improved functions as part of its first major upgrade in a decade. New features are touted as enabling users to more easily navigate the system, more quickly find what they are seeking, and get better access on their mobile devices. The upgrade also is designed to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.

Read More

7th Circuit: Ineffective attorneys argument in fraud case deserves a hearing

After the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the district court’s denial of his motion to vacate his sentence, an Indiana man will have the chance to present his argument that if he had not followed the advice of his “constitutionally ineffective” lawyers and turned down a plea offer, his sentence would have been significantly less than the 92 months he received. One of the lawyers he accuses is now a magistrate judge.

Read More