In 2016, the Indiana Supreme Court issued an order adopting Criminal Rule 26 with the goal of improving pretrial practices across the state to promote fairness and safety. The court started by encouraging trial judges to utilize an evidence-based risk assessment tool to aid in making pretrial decisions. Marion County immediately began preparing for the change (which went into effect across the state in 2020). Marion Superior Court established a diverse working group of justice professionals to discuss the process and implementation. The group comprised of representatives from the courts, law enforcement, prosecutors, public defenders, probation, community corrections and community-based treatment providers.

One summer tradition that impacts all of us working in the criminal justice system is increased traffic enforcement. I know you have heard the slogans, “Click It or Ticket,” “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” “Drive High, Get a DUI,” etc. What you may not have realized is that each of these nifty slogans is commonly attached to millions of dollars of federal grant projects through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for these enforcement efforts. These campaigns are intended to drive down traffic fatalities by encouraging seatbelt usage, detecting and deterring impaired driving and other dangerous driving behavior.

An IndyBarHQ utilization task force has been organized, featuring a diverse group of members, to direct our new HQ’s evolution with intention and creativity. The ideas already are simmering vigorously, but we need your help to bring them to a full boil.

As July comes to an end, make room on your calendar for some IndyBar time! Get CLE hours with us this week. See what's on our calendar and read the latest IndyBar news here.

Looking to snag some CLE hours? Itching to get your clubs out and hit the course? You can do BOTH with the IndyBar this week! Check out what's on our calendar and catch up on recent news here.

Thank you to the IndyBar members who've taken time out of their busy schedules to donate to our new Virtual Help Desk program. Our volunteers have been monitoring the online messaging system and answering legal questions from website visitors. In June, our volunteers helped 405 people!

A lawyer from Washington State recently experienced the appellate practitioner’s version of the proverbial nightmare of sleeping through a final exam. On June 7, 2021, the lawyer was presenting at a virtual oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. A few minutes into the argument, the lawyer discovered he was arguing the wrong case.

The Indiana Supreme Court Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure has posted four proposed rule amendments online for public comment.

We've got a busy week, but we're hosting some events you won't want to miss! See what's happening this week and read recent IndyBar news here.

At the turn of the 21st century, gang culture dominated South Central Los Angeles. The two most prevalent gangs were the 11 Deuce Hoover and the Block Crips. Kiera Newsome's father, like most young men, had gravitated toward the gang lifestyle, so she was raised by her mother. Kiera's mother emphasized the importance of education and made sure her kids were receiving one.