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Ransomware is Now its Own Crime in Indiana

  • June 26
  • CLLB Law
  • News

A bill signed into law this April in Indiana will significantly raise the penalties for ransomware attacks in Indiana. Ransomware, according to TechTerms, is defined as: “A type of Malware that prevents you from using your computer or accessing certain files unless you pay a ransom. It often encrypts files so they cannot be opened.” The Indiana Economic Digest suggests the bill is a response to several ransomware attacks in Indiana last year. They report that in November 2016, the Madison County government system was accessed and an individual encrypted files and demanded money to open them. Also in November, 76,000 Howard County government files were ransomed.  The website ...

Educational Support Orders

Married parents get to choose whether they will (or whether they can) finance their child’s college education. For divorced parents, however, that choice is one of the luxuries they often have to sacrifice. Nearly everyone is familiar with the concept of child support in divorce and custody cases. The court can (and nearly always does) order one parent to pay child support to the other parent. Child support is a contribution toward the child’s basic needs: a roof over his head, food in her stomach, clothes on his back. Child support ends at a certain age by statute or upon certain life events, such as marriage or enlistment in the military. When the parents don’t have a combined h ...

Variations on Power of Attorney: One Size Does Not Fit All

While you never know when you might have to rely on someone else, there are ways you can prepare for the possibility. The financial power of attorney (POA) is the cornerstone to any estate plan.  It allows a person (the principal) to give legal authority to someone else (the attorney-in-fact) to take financial actions on the principal’s behalf. There are many situations where having such a document and creating such a relationship is preferable to allowing one’s personal finances to languish. Of course, the planning needs of an unmarried, childless 21-year-old are likely not the same as a 65-year-old married couple with grandchildren, but powers of attorney are highly customizable. ...

Divorce Monday: The Holidays’ Last Hurrah

Another holiday season has passed. The decorations are put away. The music on the radio is back to normal. The hustle and bustle is practically nonexistent. Of course, the holidays regularly leave behind a few unpleasantries: credit card bills, increased waistline, and... divorce. Yes, filing to end a marriage is an unwelcome remnant that is surprisingly pervasive. It is so common that the first working Monday in January has been referred to as “Divorce Monday.” Falling on January 9 this year, that inauspicious day marks the beginning of one of the busiest months for initiating divorce proceedings. According to the president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, divorce fili ...

Handling Long-Distance Visitation

Legally speaking, childhood lasts only 18 years. The rest of life is considered adulthood. With that much disparity, it's no wonder we lose touch with what it's like to be a kid. Still, adult situations affect children deeply, and divorce is no exception. That's not to say divorce isn't often the path that's best for everyone in a family, but when you're caught up in the hullabaloo of the adult aspects, keep in mind the kid POV. No one knows exactly what to say or do to help children thrive in any kind of split custody schedule. But it's vital to try to tap into your own life markers and remember how adult interactions – particularly your relationships with your parents -- made you feel ...

Medicare vs. Medicaid

The federal government is a massive entity, the true size of which is up for debate. Depending on the source, the number of federal agencies has been reported to be as few as 60 and as many as 430. One agency whose existence is not in question is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which, among other responsibilities, oversees Medicare and works with state governments to manage Medicaid. These two similar-sounding public insurance programs are very different, but they have the same goal of providing medical and health-related services to certain groups of disadvantaged people. Medicaid delivers healthcare coverage to low-income families and individuals, including seniors, ...

Department of Child Services & Human Trafficking in Indiana

It can be difficult for Americans to admit that some of humanity’s biggest problems don’t just happen “somewhere else.” No state is immune from social ills like poverty, hunger, illiteracy, discrimination, and human trafficking. That’s right. This modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain happens right here in Indiana. In fact, we have one of 42 task forces set up by the U.S. Justice Department to address the growing crime. It's called IPATH: the Indiana Protection of Abused and Trafficked Humans. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline, operated by Polaris Project since December 2007, has received calls, ...

Custody Disputes and the Guardian ad Litem

When the custody of your child is in dispute to the point where the courts have become involved, you have, in a sense, relinquished certain decisions about your child’s future to the judge. It’s your job to convince the judge that your opinion is the correct one and is in your child’s best interests. If you have an attorney (and you should!), he or she will advocate for you and present your case – your arguments – to the judge. But the other parent of your child believes his or her opinion is the correct one, too, and that it is in your child’s best interests. And there’s most likely another attorney on that side presenting that case – and those arguments – to the judge. ...

Primer on Transgender Legal Name and Gender Changes in Indiana

Transitioning from female to male (FTM) or male to female (MTF) is a lengthy process – one that is often marked more by struggle than by celebration. For people who are transgendered, being able to legally change their name and gender marker is a momentous milestone. Telling loved ones of your new name or proper pronouns is certainly a big step, but there comes a time when it’s important to transform them from mere preference to official terminology. The process varies from state to state, and not all judges are willing to grant it, so to save yourself from any problems in the future, it’s wise to consult an attorney. Much of the way we are distinguished throughout life is by name a ...

What Happens if You Die in Indiana Without a Will?

Everyone dies, but not everyone makes a will. While it’s understandable that some people are uncomfortable discussing their mortality, their reluctance to plan for it can force their families to fight through the courts in order to determine where their assets will go and how their debts will be paid. Unfortunately, not having a will is extremely common. According to a 2014 survey, more than 60 percent of Americans do not have one. And the No. 1 reason why not? “Just haven’t gotten around to making one.” Who should have a will? Just about everyone. Whether your estate is small and simple or large and complicated, planning ahead gives you some control over what happens to your belong ...

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Child Support Calculations in Indiana and Kentucky

Featured Snippet: Child support obligations are distributed fairly between both parents based on their individual incomes and other data. The calculation sums up the parents’ incomes using weekly gross income as the basis.

Child support calculations are about figuring out how much money one parent should give to the other for their children’s upkeep when [...]