The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has determined there is an immediate need to amend Local Rule 5-3 – Eligibility, Registration, Passwords for Electronic Filing; Exemption from Electronic Filing; Local Rule 83-5 – Bar Admission; and Local Rule 83-6 – Pro Hac Vice Admission. The amendments linked below are effective as of November 8, 2021.
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News & Announcements
Check this page, or the News and Announcements box on the homepage, for the latest official news and announcements released by the court. You can also access archived news and announcements from this page.
Mon, 2021-10-25
The Court has considered the recommendation of the Local Rules Advisory Committee that the revision of certain Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana be adopted, and the Clerk issued a Public Notice on September 20, 2021, regarding the proposed amendments. The Court has considered the proposed amendments and the comments received. Therefore, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2071, Rule 83 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rule 57 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana hereby gives public notice that the following amendments to the Local Rules of this Court are adopted, effective December 1, 2021.
Fri, 2021-10-01
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (October 1, 2021): During the month of October, the United States Courts of Appeals along with the United States District Courts for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits are hosting a Bill of Rights Day contest and we want YOU to be a part of it!
School aged children (grades 3-12) in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are invited to submit an essay, poem, video, photograph, song, or piece of art on the importance of the Bill of Rights. Be as creative as you like! Complete information and contest rules can be found at https://judiciallearningcenter.org/bill-of-rights-day/.
A grand prize winner from each of the three age groups (Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12) will be awarded a $500 cash prize, and have their name and submission shared on the websites of the participating United States District Courts. Semi-finalists from Indiana will receive an electronic gift card valued at $50.
Submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Sunday, October 31.
Semi-finalists will be notified before Thanksgiving and grand prize winners will be announced at a special virtual event for families on the enduring rights afforded to Americans by the Bill of Rights. The virtual event will take place on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at 6pm Central/7pm Eastern. The virtual event is open to all families and fans of American civics. You do not need to enter the contest to attend. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. To register, visit https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_pYc-8ybhSMCKwiz6hgC6uA.
For questions, please contact Mary Giorgio, Outreach Coordinator for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, at mary_giorgio@insd.uscourts.gov or via phone at 317-229-3711.
Mon, 2021-09-20
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2071, Rule 83 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rule 57 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana hereby gives public notice of the following: The Local Rules Advisory Committee for the Southern District of Indiana has recommended, and the District Court has authorized release for a period of public comment through October 20, 2021, the revision of certain Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Please click the link below for details.
Thu, 2021-09-16
Press Release
Court Historical Society Announces Fall 2021 CLE Programs
INDIANAPOLIS (September 16, 2021) – From reflections on a landmark housing discrimination case, to a roundtable discussion featuring former U.S. Attorneys, to the life and times of 19th century judges, the 14th Annual Court History and Continuing Legal Education Symposium promises to be one of the most interesting yet!
Three separate one-hour sessions will be held in October, November, and December. Registrations are currently being accepted for virtual participation; in-person availability will be opened to registered participants at a later date by invitation, depending on the need for social distancing. The CLE programs have been organized by the Historical Society of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and are sponsored by the Court. The line-up is as follows:
October 29, 2021 – 2pm ET
Jessie Woodbridge v. Evansville Housing Authority: A Landmark Public Housing Discrimination Case
November 19, 2021 – 2pm ET
Annual Roundtable: Federal Criminal Prosecutions & the Role of the U.S. Attorney
December 9, 2021 – 2pm ET
The Life and Times of 19th Century Federal Judges Jesse Lynch Holman & David McDonald
Complete details on each program are available on the Court's website. CLE Credit is pending approval for each session. Registration is required for each event, and space is limited. Links to join each event will only be shared with those who have registered. RSVP requests can be emailed to insd_cle@insd.uscourts.gov.
Members of the Historical Society of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana receive complimentary registration. For non-members wishing to attend, the registration fee is $50 for attorneys and includes access to all three CLEs and a one-year membership to the Court's Historical Society. Teachers and government employees may attend any program at no cost, and discounted memberships are available to students and the public. Full membership information and fee details can be found here.
Tue, 2021-09-07
Indianapolis, Indiana (September 7, 2021): On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 2:00 pm EDT, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Indiana State Bar Association Latino Affairs Committee will welcome the Hon. Juan R. Sánchez, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, as the keynote speaker at their fifth annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. Due to the ongoing pandemic, at this time attorneys and members of the public are invited to participate virtually. If conditions improve in the weeks leading up to the presentation and an in-person audience can convene safely, registrants will be given the option to attend in-person. For full details and registration information, see the Press Release.
Wed, 2021-09-01
INDIANAPOLIS (September 1, 2021) – The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will sponsor a training session for attorneys interested in learning more about the Court's Recruited Counsel program. The training will take place on Friday, October 8, 2021 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm in the Jury Assembly Room (Room 172), first floor, Birch Bayh Federal Building & United States Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio St., Indianapolis, Indiana. Program speakers will include the Hon. Mario Garcia, Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Indiana, along with Libby R. Roberts and Craig W. Wiley, two attorneys with extensive experience working as recruited counsel for the Southern District of Indiana. Opening remarks will be given by Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. For full details and registration information, see the Press Release.
Mon, 2021-08-02
Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has issued a General Order, effective Tuesday, August 3, 2021, that requires all entrants and occupants of said courthouses to wear face coverings and maintain six feet of social distancing in all public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. Please see the Press Release for further information.
Wed, 2021-06-30
INDIANAPOLIS (June 30, 2021) – The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will sponsor a virtual training session for attorneys on modest means/pro bono representation of victims of domestic violence in Indiana. The training will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at 11:30am EST/ 10:30am CST. The session will last 1.5 hours. Full details are available in the Press Release.
Wed, 2021-06-30
Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt announced that the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will be closed on Friday, July 2, 2021, in delayed observation of the Juneteenth National Independence Day. Signed into law as a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, the Court delayed its observance due to the short period of time between President Biden's signing of the bill and the actual holiday on June 19. Please see the Press Release for full details.