The 20th convening of the Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity (ICLEO) Summer Institute took place June 18 to July 30, 2016 at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Then Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard created ICLEO in 1997 to support minority, low-income, and educationally disadvantaged students who aspire to pursue a law degree and legal career in Indiana. After a rigorous application process, … [Read more...] about 2016 ICLEO Class looking to the future
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Reforms to the Marion County Small Claims Courts
On July 18, 2011, an article appeared in the Wall Street Journal that criticized the operations of the nine township small claims courts in Marion County. The paper launched several additional stories covering litigant complaints of forum shopping, exorbitant attorney’s fees, and other unfair debt collection practices. Under the leadership of Marion Circuit Court Judge Sheryl Lynch and former Circuit Court Judge L … [Read more...] about Reforms to the Marion County Small Claims Courts
Harassment in the Workplace
A significant employee-related development this year was a study of harassment and retaliation in the workplace by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Harassment as a legal issue dates back to 1986 when the US Supreme Court held that the sexual harassment of a female bank executive created a hostile work environment and was a form of gender discrimination actionable under Title VII of the Civil Rights … [Read more...] about Harassment in the Workplace
Are you asking the right questions? Intimate Partner Violence and Pet Abuse
In civil protection order cases or criminal family violence cases, judges and court staff naturally focus on determining appropriate remedies and consequences for the humans involved. They are always the named parties, victims, witnesses, or protected persons. However, it is likely that if the family home is violent, and if companion animals live in that home, the humans are not the only victims. Child abuse, elder … [Read more...] about Are you asking the right questions? Intimate Partner Violence and Pet Abuse
Improving Juvenile Access to Justice
October was National Youth Justice Awareness Month. Even though juvenile arrests have declined in recent years, last year in Indiana there were over 18,000 new delinquency or status offense filings. Status offenses are those that would not be considered a crime if committed by an adult, such as tobacco possession. Many of these juvenile offenders cannot afford legal counsel. The Indiana Public Defender Council … [Read more...] about Improving Juvenile Access to Justice