The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has been informed that scammers are calling individuals with cases pending before the court, posing as court staff, and requesting that the victim provide his or her Social Security number. A court official or other government employee will never contact someone and demand personal information or payment by phone or email.

Residents of the Southern District of Indiana who believe they have been the victim of this scam are encouraged to report the incident to the District Court Clerk’s Office at 317-229-3700 and the Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov. For additional information things to remember, who to call, and what to do if you are contacted by a scammer, view the Press Release. 

For most convicted felons returning to society, a simple desire to avoid recidivism isn't enough. That goal must be supported by inclusivity and accessibility to education, employment, housing, and social support services – all of which are crucial for a former inmate's successful reentry to society.

On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 2:00 pm, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will host a conversation with two men who have experienced first-hand the importance of inclusivity and accessibility for formerly incarcerated individuals. Anne Kaiser, the court's supervisory Staff Attorney, will moderate a discussion with Mark Nicholson and John Vance, former Indiana Department of Correction inmates who have transitioned from incarceration to careers in the law. The event will take place in the William E. Steckler Ceremonial Courtroom (202) at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 46 East Ohio Street, Indianapolis.

Mr. Nicholson is the owner and CEO of the Law Office of Mark Nicholson, where he specializes in criminal law, civil rights, personal injury, and family law. He is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the Indiana University McKinney School of Law, where he teaches a course on prison law. A veteran, Mr. Nicholson serves on the Board of Directors for Helping Veterans and Families. He is a frequent public speaker, having presented on such topics as civil rights, prison, criminal justice, and the death penalty. Before opening his own law office, Mr. Nicholson was a law clerk and an attorney at the Public Defender of Indiana and an assistant supervisor at the Marion County Public Defender Agency.

John T. Vance is the Major Felony Paralegal Team Lead at the Marion County Public Defender Agency and a Juris Doctor candidate at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He supports and trains a team of paralegals while contributing to litigation strategy for major felony cases. A frequent speaker and panelist on reentry, juvenile justice, and sentencing reform, John has been published in both professional and academic outlets, including Res Gestae (Indiana State Bar Association, 2025) and The Harbinger (N.Y.U. Review of Law & Social Change, 2022).  

Both panelists will share stories of their paths to careers in the law, insights into the struggles of former inmates, the importance of inclusivity to successful reentry, and what judges, lawyers, and legal professionals can do to help formerly incarcerated individuals find fulfilling roles in our community. Welcome and introductory remarks will be made by Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II and The Hon. Frank Sullivan, Jr., Bicentennial Professor at the IU McKinney School of Law and former Indiana Supreme Court justice.

The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Please register at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/DecemberCLE to reserve a space and indicate whether you will attend in person or virtually. Those attending virtually will receive the link upon registration, and again the day before the program with instructions on how to connect via Zoom. One hour of continuing legal education credit has been approved for this program.

The U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is issuing this notice to apprise contractors of Judiciary-wide plans regarding contract actions that may be necessary if contract funding is affected by a lapse in appropriations, better known as a federal government shutdown. 

Unless notified in writing by a contracting officer, all Judiciary contractors must continue to fulfill their contractual obligations to the Judiciary in the event of a government shutdown, i.e., contractors must continue to comply with all terms, conditions, and delivery and performance requirements specified in their contracts during the period covered by a lapse in appropriations.

The Judiciary will not provide a separate notification or communication for contracts that will not be affected by the lapse in appropriations.

The budget for the 2026 fiscal year has not yet been enacted, which could result in a temporary loss of funding for contracted supplies and services and limit the Judiciary’s ability to manage its contracts.

If a government shutdown occurs, non-excepted government activities will cease and performance under contracts may be affected. A shutdown, a sovereign act of the government, may prevent contractors and the Judiciary from fulfilling their contractual obligations to each other due to circumstances beyond their control. In other cases, the government may cancel planned procurements, reduce the scope of contracts, stop work under contracts, or terminate contracts.

Should Judiciary contracting officers determine that any of these actions is necessary, or that contractors or the Judiciary will be unable to fulfill their obligations due to a shutdown, a contracting officer will provide contractors with prompt notice and instructions for each affected contract.  

Thank you for your continued support and business with the federal Judiciary, and for your cooperation as we work together to manage a potential lapse in appropriations.

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 14, 2025, the revision of certain Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.  Please see the Public Notice linked below for more details.

  Public Notice Re: Proposed Amendments to Local Rules