Justices take certified questions
The Indiana Supreme Court has accepted three certified questions stemming from a case in the Southern District of Indiana.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Articles
Federal judge finds U.S. law preempts state ‘robo-call’ statute
The state is not able to prevent out-of-state entities from placing political calls to residents within Indiana because of an existing federal law, according to a federal judge’s ruling on Indiana’s auto-dialer statute.
BLE will strike broad question, revise other
The Indiana Supreme Court’s Board of Law Examiners is cutting one controversial question from its annual bar exam application and will revise another in order to comply with a federal judge’s recent ruling.
Federal judge: 1 bar exam application question goes too far
A federal judge has found that one of the Indiana bar exam application questions violates the Americans with Disabilities Act because it infringes on potential lawyers’ privacy rights.
Judge allows state to cut Medicaid fees to pharmacists
An Indianapolis federal judge has reversed the temporary restraining order she issued two months ago that stopped the state from cutting fees it pays to pharmacists for dispensing Medicaid prescriptions.
New magistrate takes the oath
U.S. Magistrate Denise K. LaRue was sworn in Sept. 8 as the Southern District of Indiana’s newest magistrate.
Judge dismisses challenge to NCAA bylaws
Two former NCAA athletes whose scholarships were revoked following injuries have lost their suit that argued without certain NCAA Division I bylaws, they would have received multi-year athletic scholarships that would have covered the cost of their bachelor’s degrees.
Magistrate judge’s investiture ceremony Thursday
The formal swearing-in ceremony for Magistrate Judge Denise K. LaRue of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, is at 2 p.m. Sept. 8 in Courtroom 202 of the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Indianapolis. The event is open to the public.
Retired U.S. magistrate judge dies
A Marion County attorney who later served as judge of the Circuit Court and as a United States Magistrate Judge died Sept. 1.
Toxic dust exposure leads to litigation
Indianapolis attorney Gabe Hawkins has already attended the funerals of three former clients, and he hopes that he won’t have to see a fourth before finally being able to say that the courtroom battle they’ve been waging for years has paid off.
Judge OKs settlement in voter-registration class action suit
A federal judge in Indianapolis on Thursday approved a settlement in a class action lawsuit brought against Indiana relating to state offices not adequately providing public assistance for voter registration.
Judge hears arguments on bar exam application suit
How far the Indiana Board of Law Examiners can go in asking potential lawyers about their mental-health history was the subject of a federal court hearing Wednesday, where attorneys explored the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act and what might be reasonable in determining someone’s potential fitness to practice law.
Federal appeals court examines disputed telephone charges
Writing for a unanimous 7th Circuit Court of Appeals panel, U.S. Judge David Hamilton authored an opinion Tuesday full of what he calls “telephonese.” The opinion delves into a small business’s disputed phone bill charges and how those matters are governed by state and common law.
Appeals court: Federal judge should decide on state law claims
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has sent a case back to an Indianapolis judge, saying she didn’t properly weigh whether the case should be prolonged on remand to Hamilton Superior Court instead of her deciding on the issues that have already been fleshed out in federal court during the past year and a half.
Volunteers needed for pilot program
The United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana is looking for law offices and firms to volunteer for an electronic civil case opening pilot program. Electronic civil case opening lets attorneys file new civil and miscellaneous cases via the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system instead of in paper form at the clerk’s office.
Lawyer can argue for cost-of-living adjustment for increased fees
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has decided that an attorney that successfully represented a client in a Social Security disability benefits suit should be allowed to make a request for a cost-of-living adjustment that would exceed the maximum $125 per hour that can be awarded under the Equal Access to Justice Act.
Bankruptcy filings drop
The number of people filing for bankruptcy around the United States has decreased as compared to the same time last year, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
7th Circuit judge grants prisoner’s request for certificate of appealability
An Indiana prisoner’s request for a certificate of appealability has been granted by a 7th Circuit judge who found the man’s application set forth a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.
Judge approves proposed settlement agreement
A federal judge has approved a proposed settlement agreement in a class-action lawsuit against the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration alleging that an agency policy that doesn’t allow certain Medicaid waiver enrollees to apply for services other than what’s been approved by their case manager is in violation of federal Medicaid law.