Culver Teachers Contract Provisions Debated before Indiana Supreme Court

Provisions in a three-year-old Culver Community Schools teacher contract were part of an oral argument before the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday. Culver and three other districts in the state had finalized the 2017-2018 agreements with their teachers associations, only to have the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board (IEERB) deem certain parts non-compliant with state law.

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Indiana Supreme Court Denies Governor’s Request for Clarification on Attorney General’s Office

The Indiana Supreme Court has denied a request for clarification from Governor Eric Holcomb on the suspension of the attorney general’s law license. Curtis Hill is suspended from practicing law starting today, with automatic reinstatement in 30 days. The governor’s legal team wanted to know if that meant Hill was no longer qualified to serve as attorney general under state statute, creating a vacancy in the office.

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Governor Asks Supreme Court If Hill’s Suspension Means He Can Appoint a New Attorney General

Governor Eric Holcomb is asking for clarification on whether he can appoint a new attorney general, now that Curtis Hill’s law license has been suspended. In a document filed with the Indiana Supreme Court Tuesday, the governor’s attorneys note that a prosecutor has to be duly licensed to practice law under state statute, and Hill wouldn’t be allowed to fulfill many of his duties during the 30-day suspension.

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Governor Figuring Out Next Steps Following Suspension of Attorney General’s Law License

Governor Eric Holcomb says he still needs to figure out his next steps, now that the attorney general’s law license has been suspended. The Indiana Supreme Court Monday suspended Attorney General Curtis Hill from family law attorneys practicing in Fresno in the state for 30 days beginning May 18, after a state representative and three legislative assistants accused him of inappropriate touching at an event in 2018.

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Stimulus Checks May Not Be Seized by Creditors under Indiana Supreme Court Order

Hoosiers’ stimulus payments may not be seized by creditors for past-due bills, under an order from the Indiana Supreme Court Monday. During state officials’ COVID-19 press conference Tuesday, Cynthia Carrasco, deputy general counsel for the governor, explained that Indiana Legal Services and other groups had petitioned the court to protect stimulus checks.

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Governor Opposes Releasing Department of Correction Inmates due to COVID-19

Governor Eric Holcomb says he doesn’t support the idea of releasing low-level offenders from the Department of Correction to protect them from COVID-19. “We’ve got our offenders in a safe place, we believe, maybe even safer than just letting them out, to avoid contracting this COVID-19,” Holcomb said during state officials’ COVID-19 press conference Monday.

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Indiana Supreme Court Denies ACLU Request to Release Eligible DOC Inmates to Shelter at Home

The Indiana Supreme Court handed down a decision this week that denies a request from the American Civil Liberties Union that would allow prisoners to be let out of prison who are at a heightened risk for severe illness or death from COVID-19.  The request included early release of inmates who are within six months of their expected release date, reduction of sentences, place qualified inmates on home detention, or grant early parole. 

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Judges Spar with County Attorney over Pulaski County Court Program Grants

Pulaski County’s judges are worried that resistance from the auditor and county attorney is putting court programs in jeopardy.

In a lengthy and heated discussion during Monday’s county commissioners meeting, Circuit Court Judge Mary Welker said the county’s seen great success with its Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, but when coordinator Dr. Natalie Daily Federer tried to renew its funding, Auditor Laura Wheeler prevented it.

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State to Provide Computer Equipment to Pulaski County in Preparation for Court Software Switch

Pulaski County is getting some new computer equipment from the state, as part of its switch in court software. Circuit Court Judge Mary Welker told the county commissioners last week that Superior Court Judge Crystal Brucker Kocher has been working hard on the transition to the Odyssey system, and Circuit Court will benefit, as well.

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