Indianapolis, Indiana (September 9, 2025): Latinos began arriving in Indiana in the late 1800s and have made significant contributions to Hoosier culture since that time. In Indianapolis, "El Barrio" was the city's first known Hispanic neighborhood and served as a cultural center for the area's Latino community. Located on the near east side of downtown, it and other culturally significant neighborhoods were razed in the late 1960s to make way for Indianapolis's modern interstate system. On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 2:00 pm EDT, the U.S. District Court, Bankruptcy Court, and Probation Office for the Southern District of Indiana and the Indiana State Bar Association will host "Crossroads for Change: Remembering the Past, Rebuilding the Future," a panel presentation focused on the significance of "El Barrio" and its demise. The presentation will dive into the intersection of history, law, public policy, and lessons learned for future growth and development in Indianapolis. For full details and registration information, please see the full Press Release.

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 May 9, 2025, regarding the proposed amendments. 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 July 1, 2025.  Please see the full Public Notice linked below.

  Public Notice Re: Amendments to Local Rules

Indianapolis, Indiana – January 22, 2025:  The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana continues to receive reports of scammers posing as local law enforcement officials and calling individuals – often professionals such as attorneys and health care providers – to accuse them of allegedly failing to appear as an expert witness at a court hearing or trial.

Recipients of such calls are told they have been found in contempt of court and, if they fail to pay a fine, will be arrested. Using threats and scare tactics, the scammers then entice their victim to pay this "fine" with cash cards or other electronic payment. Making this scam even more nefarious, the scammers spoof government phone numbers and provide their victim with the names of real law enforcement officers, real court officials, and real judges. Even if the names are real, the "fine" is fake.

This is a scam. Real courts and real law enforcement officers will never call someone and demand a payment for any reason. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately.

Residents of the Southern District of Indiana who believe they have been the victim of such a scam are encouraged to report the incident to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center ("IC3") at https://www.ic3.gov, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/. Additional information about this scam is available on the FTC's website.  

Here are some tips on things to remember and what to do if you are contacted by anyone claiming to be a law enforcement officer or court official:

• Only scammers will call, text, or email demanding that you pay by cash, gift card, cryptocurrency, payment app, or a wire transfer service. No court official or law enforcement officer will ever make such a demand.
   
• Real law enforcement and real court officials will never demand that you pay fines by phone.
   
• Real law enforcement and real court officials will never call to say you’re going to be arrested (or threaten to arrest you if you hang up).
   
• Do not divulge personal information or financial information to unknown callers, including those who claim to work for the government.
   
• A fine will never be imposed until after an individual has appeared in court and been given the opportunity to explain a failure to appear. 
   
• Report scams to the Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission.

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 23, 2024, 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, 2024.  Please see the Public Notice linked below for more details.

  Public Notice Re:  Amendments to Local Rules