NCAA urges California governor not to sign ‘fair pay’ bill
The outcome is being closely watched as one of the biggest challenges in years to the Indianapolis-based NCAA’s longstanding and far-reaching model of amateur sports.
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Indiana seeks to keep records sealed in child services cases
Lawyers for Indiana’s Department of Child Services are pushing to seal records in a federal class action lawsuit accusing the child welfare agency of inadequately protecting thousands of children in its care.
Judge wounded in downtown shooting enters guilty plea
One of the two judges hospitalized after a downtown Indianapolis shooting has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery in connection with the May 1 incident. The judge will not serve any jail time under the agreement.
Indiana attorney general stalls BMV gender change rule
The new stalled rule would require applicants to have the state health department, not the BMV, sign off on an individual’s attempt to be recognized on their driver’s license or state ID as anything other than their gender at birth.
Almost all states, including Indiana, target Google in new antitrust probe
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has a market value of more than $820 billion and controls so many facets of the internet that it’s fairly impossible to surf the web for long without running into at least one of its services.
Purdue Pharma says settlement talks in opioid cases not over
The company said it is prepared to defend itself in litigation, but that “Purdue Pharma believes a settlement that benefits the American public now is a far better path than years of wasteful litigation and appeals.”
States set to hit Facebook, Google with new antitrust probes
Two bipartisan groups of state attorneys general are launching separate antitrust investigations into Facebook and Google, adding to regulatory scrutiny of two of the world’s largest and most ubiquitous tech companies.
Former area attorney sentenced to 30 months in prison for tax evasion
Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson said the former attorney and tax preparer “has a complete lack of respect for the law, for the tax code, his fellow citizens and for the court.”
Former longtime Indianapolis Bond Bank employee sentenced to prison for theft
Jacqueline Fitzgerald, who was terminated in June 2017 after 17 years at the bond bank, admitted to stealing funds by claiming inappropriate benefit leave payouts.
Google emerges as target of a new state attorneys general antitrust probe
It is unclear whether some or all of the attorneys general also plan to open or announce additional probes into other tech giants, including Amazon and Facebook, which have faced similar U.S. antitrust scrutiny.
Judge rules Carmel noise ordinance unconstitutional, sides with two Lucas employees
The lawsuit is part of an ongoing battle Carmel is having with Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, who have hosted parties and charitable events regularly since 2011 at their massive estate at 1143 W. 116th St.
Former Indianapolis payroll exec pleads guilty in $9.4M fraud scheme
David Downey, 50, faces a possible prison sentence of up to six years, plus fines of up to $750,000.
E-cigarette maker Juul facing mounting scrutiny from state AGs
The company’s rapid rise to the top of the multi-billion-dollar U.S. e-cigarette market has been accompanied by accusations from parents, politicians and public health advocates that Juul fueled a vaping craze among high schoolers.
Opioid settlement would divide money based on local impact
The formulas would take into account several factors, including opioid distribution in a given jurisdiction, the number of people who misuse opioids and the number of overdose deaths.
Community Health sues insurer for refusing to cover $6M in damage at east-side hospital
The dispute centers on extensive cracking in the foundation at Community Hospital East, which just underwent a massive, $175 million upgrade with a new patient tower.
Purdue Pharma in talks to settle for billions in opioid lawsuits
Drugmaker Purdue Pharma is negotiating a multibillion-dollar settlement with lawyers for local and state governments that would resolve about 2,000 lawsuits against the company.
Johnson & Johnson responsible for fueling Oklahoma’s opioid crisis, judge rules
The landmark decision is the first to hold a drugmaker culpable for the fallout of years of liberal opioid dispensing that began in the late 1990s, sparking a nationwide epidemic of overdose deaths and addiction.
Family of Carmel teen sues Juul, calling e-cigarettes addictive, dangerous
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, is the first such federal lawsuit in the state against Juul, a company battling numerous complaints over its products.
State panel gives Indiana’s chief justice new 5-year term
The Judicial Nominating Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to reappoint Chief Justice Loretta Rush to the position she’s held since 2014.
Democratic state senator launches bid for attorney general
Sen. Karen Tallian, of Ogden Dunes, announced her campaign Wednesday morning, saying she plans to “restore checks and balances to the Statehouse and to be a voice for all who live here.”