When a tea kettle whistles from mounting pressure, we all know to take the kettle off the burner or to turn down the heat. Yet, when a legal colleague shows obvious wear from stress and has difficulty performing job duties or repeatedly lashes out, we often pretend not to notice the “whistle of the tea kettle” or hope it will go away on its own. The ostrich approach, however, rarely works and can lead to significant e … [Read more...] about Time to Ask for Help
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Indiana Civic Health Index/Second Edition
The Indiana Civic Health Index is the result of a partnership among the following entities: Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana Bar Foundation, Indiana University Northwest, IU Center for Civic Literacy, The Center on Congress, and the National Conference on Citizenship. The foreword is by former Chief Justice, Randall T. Shepard, and former U.S. Representative and current Director of the Center on Congress at Indiana … [Read more...] about Indiana Civic Health Index/Second Edition
Firearms & Protection Orders: Considering Surrender
Ordering respondents to surrender firearms is not always easy for courts—it can mean more work for staff, extra hearings to ensure compliance, and negotiations with local law enforcement about storing the weapons and ammunition. But the power to order surrender of firearms as part of issuing a protection order is a vital means of reducing lethality in family violence cases. Consider this: protection order laws are p … [Read more...] about Firearms & Protection Orders: Considering Surrender
Employee Medical Leave Rights: It's Complicated
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