Exploring the limitations of a judge sitting on an organization’s board of directors By Marcus Alan McGhee, Staff Attorney | Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications Judges serving as members of a for-profit organization’s leadership has been problematic since Kenesaw Mountain Landis-the U.S. District Court Judge who was also Major League Baseball’s first Commissioner. The concern, then as it is now, is that jud … [Read more...] about From Courtroom to Boardroom
Columns
In the Right Direction
Lawyers ask for ethics guidance G. Michael Witte, Executive Director | Disciplinary Commission In April 2018, the Disciplinary Commission began providing Indiana lawyers informal ethics guidance and formal advisory opinions. Informal guidance allows a lawyer to confidentially submit an ethical conduct question. The process is known as a pointer system: the Commission points the lawyer to applicable rules, official … [Read more...] about In the Right Direction
Advancing Justice in Rural Communities
Court partners with IU to create pilot rural justice clerkship program By David Sexton, Intern | Office of Communication, Education & Outreach The Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana University’s law schools partnered in a pilot program to allow their students to work with courts in less urban communities. Ten law students-five each from IU Maurer and IU McKinney-completed judicial clerkships with judges in ten … [Read more...] about Advancing Justice in Rural Communities
ICLEF Award, Ice Cream Social, Judicial & Committee Appointments
Judge Heather Welch Receives Antoinette Dakin Leach Award Judge Heather Welch of the Marion Superior Court was honored by the IndyBar Women and the Law Division with the Antoinette Dakin Leach Award, which is presented annually to recognize the accomplishments of a female attorney in central Indiana. She will be honored at the annual Antoinette Dakin Leach Award Luncheon, to be held this fall. Judge Welch was … [Read more...] about ICLEF Award, Ice Cream Social, Judicial & Committee Appointments
Avoiding the Ex Parte Trap
By Adrienne Meiring, Counsel | Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications Juror communications can present interesting challenges for trial court judges. As court outsiders, jurors understandably have questions and concerns that arise during trial and look to the judge for answers. Judges bear tremendous responsibility at these times to preserve a defendant’s constitutional rights and to avoid the appearance of … [Read more...] about Avoiding the Ex Parte Trap