Join us June 11-13 in French Lick for Bench Bar 2026, where members of the bench and bar come together for CLE, networking, and meaningful professional connection. This year’s program features keynote presentations from Super Bowl champion Gary Brackett on adaptability and David "DJ" Gross on practical AI skills, along with breakout sessions covering topics like digital assets, crimmigration, voir dire strategy, and judicial best practices. With opportunities to unwind through golf, pickleball, yoga, and evening social events, the conference blends practical learning with the chance to strengthen relationships across the legal community.

Learn more at indybar.org/benchbar.

An extraordinary afternoon of law, storytelling, and Hoosier history awaits as one of the nation’s most respected criminal defense attorneys and 2009 IndyBar Past President Jim Voyles, in conversation with 2018 Past President James Bell and Jim’s co-author Mark Bourcier gather with guests to discuss Jim’s new memoir, ALL RISE: My Life and Trials with the Famous, the Infamous, and the Misunderstood. The lunch promises a rare look inside some of the most compelling cases of the last half-century. Guests will enjoy the discussion over lunch at Ruth's Chris Steak House, making it an even more special event.

Read more, or jump right in to register today.

It's time to ring in the holiday season! Celebrate at one (or several) of our IndyBar holiday parties happening in December.

On September 11, 2025, the third annual Bourbon with the Bar networking event will be held at IndyBarHQ. This event will be hosted by the Commercial & Bankruptcy Section, Criminal Justice Section, Solo and Small Firm Division, and the Masters Division. This event will provide an opportunity for all members, including those not in the hosting sections and divisions, to meet attorneys who practice in other areas of law as well as mingle with some of Marion County’s judges.  

Read more!

Hon. James K. Snyder
Marion Superior Court, Criminal Division D32

How long have you been a Marion Superior Court judge, Judicial officer?
I was appointed by Governor Eric Holcomb and began my term January 1, 2025. Before that, I was appointed Magistrate/Commissioner on March 23, 2015.

Other projects, committees, or service roles you are involved in off the bench?
Newly elected to the Judicial Conference Board of Directors, appointed to the Marion County Community Corrections Advisory Board, IOCS Criminal Benchbook Committee, Indianapolis Bar Association's Board of Directors, and IndyBar's Criminal Justice Section Executive Committee.

Best tip you have for lawyers appearing in your court or criminal law courts in general?
Be on time or let us know why you cannot be. Be fully prepared and anticipate the questions the court will ask that will be important for that particular hearing.

You mentor(s) and the greatest insight you gained from them?
There are so many to name, and I feel like I learn insight or something new from everyone I meet. But I would pick my parents, who instilled in me my work ethic and passion for public service. They always told me, "education is something that can't be taken away from you," so I continue to try to learn each day.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I've always found my outlets to be getting outdoors and music. So, I spend a lot of my free time with my wife hiking (at least one hike a month for at least the last five years) and going to live concerts. I also love spending time with my nieces (4 years old and 2 years old).

If you weren't a judge, what would you be doing?
In a dream world, I would be traveling the world with my wife. But realistically, I'd still be practicing law and likely still in criminal law. I still find it interesting. Plus, I've hear bourbon and hiking/camping don't pay the bills.

Meet our newest member spotlight, Jayson McGrath, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

It happens; amidst year-end close of business, holiday festivities, travel, and time with family, you’re just a few credit hours shy of that three-year requirement. IndyBar stands ready to serve your needs with the largest collection of Indiana-specific on-demand seminars, all taught by local attorneys and competitively priced at $55.50 per credit hour for IndyBar members ($110.50 for non-members). And, for those of you who missed our catalog of free one-hour programming, you’re in luck! 45 programs are available at the free for members rate. Our ever-growing catalog features many unique, one-hour programs. From inspiring and informative ethics seminars to classic legal updates, to bundles of seminars specific to practice areas. Keeping your needs in mind, we recently updated to a brand-new platform for our on-demand catalog, SeminarWeb! All of our on-demand ethics programs, educational programs, and bundled content can now be found at www.indybar.org/cle. The perfect way to productively use those hours where the cold has kept you indoors, our vast catalog of on-demand programming is only a click away.

Indiana attorneys are required to obtain 3.0 hours of ethics credit during their three-year cycle. The IndyBar On-Demand Catalog houses more than 30 different ethics credit courses. Depression and Attorneys: Real Stories & Advice is one of the most highly viewed seminars in our catalog. During this program, presenters engage in an open and honest discussion about the realities of attorney life. Experienced lawyers from diverse backgrounds share their stories of how they triumphed over obstacles and navigated the demands of their legal practice. Viewers are provided an opportunity to learn how to recognize early warning signs and embrace effective coping strategies for managing stress in the legal profession. This program was so popular that we invited more attorneys to share their stories and advice at a second seminar: Depression and Attorneys: New Stories and Real Advice. Both are available in our on-demand catalog. As we face the winter blues, why not fulfil some of your educational requirements by watching a program that’s also good for your well-being?

You can also earn ethics credit diversity-focused programming. One standout option is Cultural Competence in ADR, available in our online catalog. This seminar features accomplished mediators including Nakeina Cane of Cane Legal Group LLC, Lee Christie from Christie Farrell Lee & Bell PC, Norris Cunningham of Stoll Kennon Ogden PLLC, and Mark Metzger of Metzger Rosta LLP. Together, they discuss the essential elements of cultural competence, offering practical tools to navigate diverse backgrounds and ensure effective communication in mediation and arbitration. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your skills, broaden your perspective, and foster more inclusion and effective dispute resolution practices.

In the mood from some true crime content? Horrors of the Circle City, filmed on Halloween (of course), dives into the chilling case of Herb Baumeister, an Indianapolis man infamously known for targeting gay men in the 1990s—a story that has captured attention on numerous serial killer podcasts. This seminar not only examines his disturbing crimes but also sheds light on the unique vulnerabilities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals and the complexities of seeking justice for victims within this community. Sign up to view this gripping exploration of true crime and its deeper social implications—an eye-opening journey into justice and advocacy for marginalized communities.

Finding multiple hours of content based on practice area is a breeze with IndyBar’s bundled programming. Seminars have been grouped together in a variety of subject matters including Artificial Intelligence, Mediation, Business Law and more! These CLE videos have been carefully curated to fit the needs of any busy attorney. You can find them at www.indybar.org/clebundles.  

All IndyBar on-demand programs are accessible for 30 days after purchase and can be completed at your leisure. As an added convenience, viewers don’t have to send in a signed affidavit. Once a program has been viewed in its entirety, IndyBar staff will confirm and report all credits earned within 10 days of completion directly to the Indiana Commission for Admissions and Legal Education. To confirm CLE credit has been reported, attorneys may check their official transcript on the Indiana Courts Portal.

Choose your programming today at www.indybar.org/cle! 
 

As the new year approaches, many attorneys take time to reflect on their careers and think about what's next. Whether you're interested in exploring a new practice area, looking for a better work-life balance, or simply ready for a change, the Indianapolis Bar Association (IndyBar) Job Bank is a great resource to help you make your next move.

Following the landmark affirmative action decision by the United States Supreme Court last June, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) efforts across the country have been under attack.  Supporters of the decision, feeling emboldened, have launched a barrage of efforts to expand the scope of the decision and eliminate DEI initiatives across all industries.  However, as Justice Sotomayor aptly pointed out in her dissenting opinion, “diversity is now a fundamental American value, housed in our varied and multicultural American community that only continues to grow.  The pursuit of racial diversity will go on.” In keeping with these words, the Indianapolis Bar Association has developed a new DEI-centered event titled: IndyBar Unites: A Morning of Meaningful Conversations...

SUMMARY: The Indianapolis Bar Association (“IndyBar”) has learned of recent public statements attacking the Marion County criminal justice system generally, and the Honorable Mark D. Stoner specifically. These statements come in the wake of Judge Stoner’s sentencing of Elliahs Dorsey (“Dorsey”), the individual charged in the April 2020 shooting death of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (“IMPD”) Officer Breann Leath. Officer Leath was tragically shot to death after responding to a call regarding a disturbance between a male and a female. After hours of deliberation, Dorsey’s jury acquitted him of Murder. The jury found Dorsey Guilty but Mentally Ill of lesser included offenses. After Dorsey’s sentence was pronounced, some made statements that either implied or outright erroneously stated that Judge Stoner inappropriately sentenced Dorsey to far less than the maximum sentence in the killing of Officer Leath. Some made remarks in the local media that dangerous offenders can shoot anyone and simply say they have a mental health problem, and they will receive a “sweetheart” sentence. This rhetoric is dangerous, and it is false.

For the killing of Officer Leath, the Court was limited to only a six-year sentence based on what the jury found Dorsey guilty of. When judges sentence offenders convicted of crimes, they are limited by the statutory sentencing guidelines for the crime. When deciding on an appropriate sentence, judges are required to start in the middle of that range and then consider specific statutory factors, called mitigating and aggravating factors, when deciding whether to impose a harsher sentence or a lighter sentence. The sentence Judge Stoner imposed on Dorsey for the count of Reckless Homicide was nine months shy of the maximum sentence allowed under the law. There is no statutory aggravator to enable judges to impose a harsher sentence on Reckless Homicide when the victim is a police officer who is killed in the line of duty. Dorsey’s total sentence for the crimes he committed in April 2020 was 45 years and 118 days, 30 years of which is to be executed in prison followed by 15 years of probation where the Court will monitor Dorsey’s behavior and mental health condition. Should Dorsey not abide by the conditions of his mental health probation, he could be sent back to prison to serve the remainder of his 15-year term of probation.

It is understandable that officers and citizens are aggrieved by the fact that the shooter was not sentenced to a much longer period of incarceration. However, misrepresenting the facts and the law to cast blame on a specific judge and the courts at large is misplaced. If reckless homicide of a police officer should carry with it a harsher sentence than the maximum of six years it currently carries, we have a responsibility to inform our legislators on this issue and to advocate for changes to the law. Only in uniting to better protect our community at large are we able to affect positive change.