Some rules of conduct are worth repeating. This is one of them. Generally, it is not a good idea for a judge to hire a family member or friend as a court employee or to appoint them to an administrative position. There are a number of practical reasons for this view, including that the Indiana Code of Judicial Conduct requires judges to make hiring and appointment decisions in a fair and impartial … [Read more...] about Judicial Hiring and Administrative Appointments Revisited
Columns
Hon. Judith A. Stewart
This is the fourteenth of our Court Times articles that highlight up close and personal a member of the Indiana Judiciary. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Judith A. Stewart is our judge featured in this issue. Following law school, she accepted a one year clerkship for a federal judge, The Honorable Harold Baker, in Danville, Illinois, then returned to Indianapolis to practice law in general civil litigation with … [Read more...] about Hon. Judith A. Stewart
Indiana's New Risk Assessment Tools: What You Should Know
Milestone Marked in Evidence-Based Sentencing Practices The implementation of new risk/needs assessment systems for Indiana’s juvenile and criminal justice systems marked an important milestone during 2010-2011. These tools are designed to provide Indiana’s courts with information about an offender’s potential risks and needs, allowing trial courts to provide appropriate sentences, supervision and treatment services. … [Read more...] about Indiana's New Risk Assessment Tools: What You Should Know
A Framework for Innovation
A look at the award-winning INcite framework for court data sharing In 2005, the Indiana Supreme Court’s Judicial Technology and Automation Committee (JTAC) initiated a project that would enable courts to submit electronically commercial driver violations to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Like other states, Indiana was at risk of losing millions in federal funding for highways unless our courts could reduce the t … [Read more...] about A Framework for Innovation
Hon. James D. Humphrey
This is the thirteenth of our Court Times articles that highlight up close and personal a member of the Indiana Judiciary. Dearborn-Ohio County Circuit Court Judge James D. Humphrey is our judge featured in this issue. He is a 1980 graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington, Bachelor of Arts, Phi Beta Kappa and with highest distinction, and a 1983 graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington, Law School, cum laude. … [Read more...] about Hon. James D. Humphrey