Once upon a time, the employer determined medical leave. Whether an employee had the ability to stay home when ill without risk of termination depended on the boss. After a nine-year legislative battle, in 1993 Congress enacted the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA). For many workers, FMLA proved to be a great boon. Parents with newborns don’t have to negotiate for leaves of absence of less than twelve weeks. An i … [Read more...] about Employee Medical Leave Rights: It's Complicated
Teen dating abuse: What you need to know
The words “teen dating” usually bring to mind awkward silences, shy smiles, and high school proms. But for some adolescents and teens, dating also involves behaviors that the court system would recognize as stalking, battering, or worse. Research into teen dating violence is ongoing—the National Institute of Justice is currently sponsoring a very large study in cooperation with the independent research organization N … [Read more...] about Teen dating abuse: What you need to know
Indiana Public Defender Commission: Providing Legal Counsel for the Indigent
Criminal and juvenile cases now constitute almost half of all cases filed in Indiana (excluding infractions). Criminal and juvenile cases require the court-appointment of counsel if the defendant is indigent. When this occurs, judges must select from a relatively small pool of attorneys who are potentially eligible for appointment. Fifty-five of Indiana’s ninety-two counties have joined the state-funded public d … [Read more...] about Indiana Public Defender Commission: Providing Legal Counsel for the Indigent
Hon. William C. Fee
This is the thirty-second of our Court Times articles that highlight up close and personal a member of the Indiana Judiciary. Steuben Superior Court Judge William C. Fee is our judge featured in this issue. He grew up in Angola in Steuben County and went to Purdue University, graduating in 1977. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1980. He was elected to the bench in 1984 and has been … [Read more...] about Hon. William C. Fee
Limited English Proficient Individuals: Access to Courts Through Qualified Interpreters
The gold-standard of interpreting in Indiana courtrooms is to provide LEP individuals with a Certified Interpreter. Certified Interpreters are important because their interpreting skills for court use have been rigorously tested. The friendly helper in the back of the court room who is bilingual in Spanish and English typically does not know all the legal words being used by a court. There can be a serious risk of … [Read more...] about Limited English Proficient Individuals: Access to Courts Through Qualified Interpreters