INSession

The past decade has seen enormous change in the Indiana Courts. From the advancement of problem-solving courts and the advent of electronic filing to solving Indiana’s attorney shortage, the push has been on to improve the return on Hoosiers’ investment in the courts. Those advances have been championed and in many cases, driven by, the Indiana Supreme Court.

What’s been behind this drive to make the courts better? What’s next?

On this episode of INSession, we’ll find out. We are talking to Indiana’s Chief Justice, the Honorable Loretta Rush about the past, present and future of the Indiana judiciary.

Our wide-ranging conversation covers civics and transparency, trust in public institutions, the value of mercy in criminal justice, the future of artificial intelligence in the courts and many more interesting topics.

There are public servants. And there are GREAT public servants. The difference is measured in how they use their time and talents. Allen Superior Court Judge David Avery is one of those great public servants. For the past 24 years, he has served as not only as a judge, but as an ally for people in Allen County, Indiana, most in need of help and hope, all without fanfare or attention. He's retiring at the end of 2024, so we thought it was time to introduce you to him - even though he's been hard at work in the civl courts for years. On this episode of INSession we're talking to Judge Avery, reflecting on his years of service and offering words of advice for the next generation of lawyers and judges.

When people seek help at the Allen County Courthouse, it doesn’t always come from a courtroom or involve an attorney. Do you need to file or get a copy of a court case? Do you need to pay a traffic ticket? Maybe your wedding day is coming up and you need a marriage license. Even Allen County’s elections are run by the same, versatile and well-respected community resource.

It’s the Allen County Clerk of the Courts, a hub of information and public service. On this episode of INSession, we’re exploring the Clerk’s Office and learning more about the many important services it delivers.

Twenty thousand times each year, people from all walks of life come to the same place to settle disputes. Their disagreements are over serious issues, from unpaid neighborhood dues and home repairs to protective orders and evictions. But they come to one place to get resolved, where every citizen can bring a legal action, without having to hire a lawyer.

It’s Allen County’s Small Claims Court, one of the busiest and most innovative courts of its kind anywhere.

On this episode of INSession we’re talking about Small Claims Court – how it works, what litigants can accomplish there and how to be ready when your day in court arrives.

Hundreds of times each year in Allen County, people have their driving privileges suspended. That suspension can come for a variety of reasons, from being convicted of a crime to being behind on child support to failing to pay car insurance.

But the result is the same. That driver – at least temporarily – cannot legally operate a motor vehicle. In some cases, though, a limited lifeline might be available for suspended drivers who still need to do the essentials of life while those legal problems work their way through the process. On this episode of INSession we’re talking about Specialized Driving Privileges: Who’s eligible, how to apply and what it all means.

On this episode, we mention several helpful website links. Those include: https://www.indianalegalservices.org, https://indianalegalhelp.org, https://www.allencountybar.org/legal-line/ and https://www.in.gov/bmv/

Opportunity. It’s something everyone needs at the start of their career, yet often proves hard to find. But in Allen Superior Court, opportunities abound for recent law school graduates looking for a leg up as they begin their professional lives. Applications are now open for Superior Court’s Civil Division law clerk program. It’s a rare opportunity for aspiring attorneys to see it all and gain world-class experience. Alumni of this program are working at all levels of the law – and you or someone you know could be next. On this episode of INSession, we’re talking about being a Law Clerk in the Allen Superior Court. Opportunity awaits.

It’s a truth as sure as the certainty of death and taxes: If results are the goal, complex challenges demand innovative ideas. Allen Superior Court is taking on the challenge of an especially complex issue – family domestic violence – through the launch of a new problem-solving court, the first of its kind in Indiana. The new court has a dual mission of helping survivors of domestic violence build safe and healthy families and of helping break the cycle of violence that often spreads from generation to generation.

It’s hard to acknowledge being a victim of domestic violence or being the one who committed that act. It can be even harder to ask for help. But when that day comes, Allen Superior Court’s Family Domestic Violence Court is there to help.

In this two-part episode of INSession, we take a look at Allen Superior Courts Family Domestic Violence Court, helping heal families in our community.

It’s a truth as sure as the certainty of death and taxes: If results are the goal, complex challenges demand innovative ideas. Allen Superior Court is taking on the challenge of an especially complex issue – family domestic violence – through the launch of a new problem-solving court, the first of its kind in Indiana. The new court has a dual mission of helping survivors of domestic violence build safe and healthy families and helping break the cycle of violence that often spreads from generation to generation.

It’s hard to acknowledge being a victim of domestic violence or being the one who committed that act. It can be even harder to ask for help. But when that day comes, Allen Superior Court’s Family Domestic Violence Court is there to help.

On this two-part episode of INSession, we take a look at Allen Superior Courts Family Domestic Violence Court, helping heal families in our community.

On one of the first episodes of INSession, we profiled Allen Superior Court’s Family Recovery Court (FRC). It’s among the newest problem-solving courts in Allen County, Indiana, providing help to families that saves lives, families and futures.

Family Recovery Court tackles a complex mission by offering specialized help and treatment to families and caregivers who find themselves in court to address abuse and neglect cases rooted in substance abuse.

In Court, clients have a network of support, the likes of which many of them have never experienced at their fingertips. But outside the courtroom, FRC clients can face a barrage of temptations and exposures to drugs and alcohol that threaten their recovery.

On this episode, we’re talking about the safety net of resources that those dealing with addictions can tap into AFTER the gavel falls.

At the heart of many child abuse and neglect cases that come before the Allen County Courts is someone truly special. It's someone who partners with the child, their caregivers, teachers, therapists and important people in their lives to make sure the child’s needs are being represented in court.

Throughout a case, attorneys speak for the adults. But hundreds of times a year, it’s a Court Appointed Special Advocate – a CASA volunteer – who stands up for the child. On this episode of INSession, we’re talking about Allen County’s CASA program and the volunteer advocates who make its mission possible.

For more information on the Allen County CASA program. call (260) 449-7190, visit www.allencountycasa.org or email [email protected].