You have been convicted and sentenced. You may have even filed a direct appeal and lost. You are not guilty, or the State did not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. So, you want to file a Petition for Post-Conviction Relief (“PCR”). The remedy of PCR is one of the most difficult criminal procedures to interpret and understand and has little chance of success if the rules and laws are not strictly followed. Errors in filing can result in waiver of this remedy. For this reason, you should have an attorney ... Read More
21
Aug2018
09
Aug2018
On Wednesday, August 8, 2018, a decision1 was handed down by the Indiana Court of Appeals that is poised to dramatically increase the number of drug charges and convictions. This is alarming since the headlines of Indiana’s news stories continually recount the State’s “opioid crisis”. At the same time, statistics reflect county jails and Indiana’s prisons are “full” of inmates with drug convictions, at a significant burden to the taxpayer. This stands in contrast with compelling arguments and scientific evidence that other than stopping violence, drug issues are best dealt within the ... Read More
06
Aug2018
In many, if not most contested paternity or divorce cases, the issues that led up to the breakdown in relationship are somewhat apparent and would not require a forensic psychologist evaluation. For instance, one parent may lose his job, and this creates untenable financial stressors on the other parent, or the parent who lost the job may slump into depression. Perhaps most common in marriage today is; marriage is not a necessity as it was a few decades ago—to survive—given social programs that have created safety nets that did not exist in ... Read More
27
Jun2018
Jobs and relationships (significant others) are in a constant state of change in today’s digital world. However, in cases where two parents share custody or one has primary custody and the other parenting time from a divorce1 or paternity order, a relocation of any significant distance can create a potentially significant issue for parenting by the non-relocating parent. Where the custodial parent is the relocating parent, if challenged by the remaining parent, the relocating parent must ... Read More
22
May2018
While children are resilient and “bounce back”, modifying physical custody from one parent to another parent is a major life factor that may impact the child’s fundamental sense of safety, security, and stability. For this reason, there are two common factual situations where custody modification does not make a strong legal case.
The first is where the non-custodial parent’s life has improved, but this has had little impact on how the kids are doing in the custodial parent’s care. Remember, ... Read More
26
Mar2018
Every litigant in Indiana administrative proceedings or trial courts has the ultimate right to appeal to the Indiana Court of Appeals. Trial courts make many orders, but typically it is the last one deciding the issues that is the final order that is subject to appeal. Usually. However, life and law are complex and sometimes an appealed order is not final as to all of the issues or not a final order at all. A recent case, ... Read More
22
Mar2018
In child custody proceedings, Indiana trial court judges award or modify custody by considering all1 of the evidence in order to determine a custody arrangement in the child’s best interests. There are several statutory considerations for the court to weigh, including the physical and mental health of the parents, as well as any other facts or circumstances that may factor into a child’s best interests as it relates to custody.2 For years, “soft” drug use, such as smoking marijuana, has been considered in awarding ... Read More
28
Feb2018
Probation is often a tool used by trial courts and is normally within their discretion to order in most cases. It is obviously a desirous outcome for judges, the community, and defendant. Most of the time it keeps the defendant out of jail, at home and work, and the taxpayers from paying for criminal incarceration. However, violations of the terms of probation, such as drug use determined by a positive drug screen, may result in a violation of probation (VOP) being filed by ... Read More
19
Dec2017
The keys to making your best case for obtaining what you want in a divorce trial by focusing on the obvious and basics—but what is rarely ever consciously considered by the parties before or at trial.
20
Nov2017
Legal Rights and Remedies That Do Not Exist in Indiana
Most seasoned divorce attorneys have had clients who have lived in different places or have friends and family divorced in other states; sometimes this brings pre-conceived notions to the table about what is possible in a divorce in Indiana. This blog addresses the most common misunderstandings of litigants in proceeding in Indiana.
The first misconception is alimony. In many states, the spouse without earning power can obtain long-term alimony. It is not uncommon to hear about very large monthly (or weekly) alimony awards ... Read More