When Alice Smith (not her real name, but this is a true story), age 80, first came to the attention of the Lawrence County Guardianship Services Program (LCGSP), she had no money and no place to live. Alice’s daughter and Power of Attorney had cleared out her bank account, sold her house, and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada—taking with her more than $200,000 of Alice’s money. Sadly, Alice had also been diagnosed with demen … [Read more...] about A Helping Hand: Volunteer Advocates for Seniors or Incapacitated Adults
Features
Indiana Rules of Court 2015 Update
The Indiana Supreme Court amended many of Rules of Court that are effective in 2015. This is a summary of these rules. See all orders amending rules of court handed down in 2015. Satisfaction/Release of Judgments Effective July 1, 2015, new Trial Rule 58(D) and amended Small Claims Rule 11(D) provide new identical procedures for the satisfaction/release of a judgment. Upon full payment, including accrued interest and … [Read more...] about Indiana Rules of Court 2015 Update
2015 Court Reform Grant Applications
The Indiana Supreme Court announced the posting of the 2015 Court Reform Grant applications, now available at: courts.in.gov/admin/2420.htm. During the 2015 Judicial District Meetings, it was apparent trial judges needed help with two issues: language access to the courts managing an ever-increasing caseload of unrepresented litigants In response, the Court will focus the 2015 Court Reform Grant cycle on projects … [Read more...] about 2015 Court Reform Grant Applications
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
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