It may not quite feel like fall in Indiana yet, but September 22 is not too far off. Which means September 27 is not either. And if you are looking for something fun to do on a Friday morning, volunteer for IndyBar’s Annual Day of Service at Gleaners Food Bank. Bring your mask (if you want), your closed-toed shoes (those are required) and join us from 9:00am to 11:30am for a production/assembly shift. We will be responsible for building boxes on the assembly lines; scanning, sorting, and inspecting donated food items; and bagging bulk food donations. There will be a little lifting, some bending, and a lot of standing throughout the shift. If you need accommodations, you can let Gleaners know before you sign up. Otherwise, we will get on-site training that morning, then dive into the work.

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. 

Don’t let the excellence of those around you go unrecognized. It only takes a few minutes to nominate a colleague who stands out in the crowd. The Indianapolis legal community is fortunate to be home to many talented, dedicated professionals, and we need your help in identifying the best of the best. 

Nominations are encouraged for the following IndyBar awards via a single online application form that only takes a few minutes to complete.

ChatGPT is all anyone can seem to talk about these days, from grandmas to grade schoolers.  That is how you know when a technology has captured the popular zeitgeist. Now, if you haven’t used it yet, or are unfamiliar with it, ChatGPT is what is called a ‘generative AI’ tool, that is rendered in the form of a chatbot.

By order of the Marion Circuit Court Judge, the Marion Circuit Court, Marion Superior Courts, Marion County Small Claims Courts, and the Marion County Clerk’s Office will be closed on Monday, June 19, 2023, in observance of Juneteenth.

A reminder, when the Court is closed, the Juvenile Detention Center, Initial Hearing Court and Juvenile Probation Intake at 25th & Keystone are still open and operational.

The nomination period has begun for the 2024 Boards of Directors for the Indianapolis Bar Association AND the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. There are also opportunities for service with the Association's Section and Division Executive Committees.  Volunteering with IndyBar is an invaluable opportunity to play a role in the future of our legal community.

The IndyBar Professionalism Committee is currently soliciting nominations for the 2022 IndyBar Professionalism Award (Attorney) and IndyBar Silver Gavel Award (Judge).

With practice, I’ve gotten much better at striking up a conversation with people I’ve only met once or twice or (gasp!) am meeting for the first time. And while I’ll always be more comfortable in small group settings, I no longer fear happy hour receptions. Often I even enjoy them! I hope these three tips will help you too to not just survive but thrive at professional events.

Get glammed up for the Indy legal community's favorite night out! IndyBar Law Prom is prom the way you always wanted it, with plentiful food stations, open bars, live entertainment and no chaperones or curfews!