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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.

Fri, 2024-03-22

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (March 22, 2024): On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will occur, and the path of totality will cross the Southern District of Indiana that afternoon. Therefore, by order of Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, including the Bankruptcy Court and Probation Office for the Southern District of Indiana, will close at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time in Indianapolis, New Albany, and Terre Haute, and at 12:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time in Evansville, for the remainder of the day.

The courthouse buildings in all four divisions of the Southern District of Indiana will remain open and accessible to the public on that date, and the Clerk's Office will remain accessible for purposes of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6 for the limited purposes of drop box filing, email filing, and CM/ECF electronic filing.

Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

Thu, 2024-02-29

A formal investiture ceremony celebrating the appointment of Crystal S. Wildeman as United States Magistrate Judge took place on Friday, February 23, 2024, in Evansville. Judge Wildeman fills the vacancy created by the elevation of the Honorable Matthew P. Brookman from magistrate judge to district judge of the Southern District of Indiana. Please see the Press Release for details. 

Tue, 2024-02-13

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Indianapolis Bar Association are pleased to celebrate Women's History Month. Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush will present Amazing Grace: The Ascension of Hoosier Women in the Law, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 3:00 pm. The hour-long program will be held in Courtroom 202 at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse. A virtual option will be available for those who cannot attend in person. See the Press Release for full details.

Mon, 2024-02-05

INDIANAPOLIS (February 5, 2024) – Registration is now open for the 5th annual Federal Court Teacher Institute, hosted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. This immersive workshop will take place on June 12-13, 2024, at the Birch Bayh Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in downtown Indianapolis.

Topics vary annually, and this year's program will take an intensive look at jury service. Teachers will explore all aspects of jury service, while meeting with judges, attorneys, and court professionals. An enlightening simulation of jury selection, presided over by District Judge James R. Sweeney II, will serve as a capstone experience for participating teachers. In addition to taking an in-depth look at juries, teachers will gain practical knowledge of the federal court system and leave the event with new ideas for educating their students about the judicial branch of government.

The workshop is free, and registration is open to middle school and high school teachers. Space is limited – and early registration is recommended! To reserve a seat, download a registration form at www.insd.uscourts.gov/teacher-institute. Questions? Contact Mary Giorgio at (317) 229-3711 or by email: mary_giorgio@insd.uscourts.gov.

Wed, 2024-01-17

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is pleased to announce its 25th annual Black History Month event. This year's hour-long program, The Storied History of Indiana's Black Lawyers and Judges, will be held in courtroom 202 at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse on Friday, February 9, 2024, at 2:00 PM. A virtual option will also be available for those who cannot attend in person. Please see the Press Release for full details. 

Mon, 2023-12-11

Indianapolis, Indiana (December 11, 2023): This fall, for the fourth consecutive year, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana participated in a Bill of Rights Day student art and essay competition in collaboration with federal district courts across the seventh and eighth judicial circuits. The contest was open to students in grades 5-12. For further details, see the Press Release.

Fri, 2023-12-01

Indianapolis (December 1, 2023) — The Supreme Court Historical Society and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana are excited to launch “The Supreme Court and My Hometown” program for Indianapolis-area high school students. This week-long summer day camp for local high school students will take place at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse June 24 - 28, 2024. For further details, please see the Press Release

Mon, 2023-10-30

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has received reports from victims who have been contacted by scammers claiming to be with federal or state law enforcement requesting that the victims pay fines allegedly ordered by Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt for failure to appear for jury service.

This is a scam. A court will never call someone and demand a payment. 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 may report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission, at: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/.

Here is are steps you can take if you are contacted by a scammer:

- Do not divulge personal information or financial information to unknown callers, including those who claim to work for a government agency.

- A court will never ask for a credit/debit card number, gift card number, wire transfers, or bank routing numbers over the phone or by email for any purpose.

- If a someone has been summonsed for jury service and has failed to appear in the Southern District of Indiana, the court would first send a letter. A fine would never be imposed until after, at minimum, the person who did not appear for jury service appeared in court and was given an opportunity to explain their failure to appear directly to a judge.

- Scams may be reported to the Federal Trade Commission. (You can remain anonymous when you report.)

Wed, 2023-09-20

The Honorable Tanya Walton Pratt, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, is pleased to announce that M. Kendra Klump was honored at a formal investiture ceremony on Friday, September 15, 2023, as United States Magistrate Judge. Please see the Press Release for full details.

Thu, 2023-09-07

On Friday, October 6, 2023, at 2:00 pm EDT, attorney Alfredo Estrada will share stories and discuss immigration law in a presentation called "The Immigrant Experience: Latinos in Indiana and Beyond." His remarks will be the keynote address at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Indiana State Bar Association Latino Affairs Committee's seventh annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. The program will be held at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Indianapolis, in The Sarah Evans Barker Courtroom (courtroom 216). Please see the Press Release for full details. Pre-registration is required by emailing insd_cle@insd.uscourts.gov.

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