The selection of Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Kendra Klump by the federal judges of the Southern District of Indiana was announced by Zachary A. Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District.

An Indiana law aimed at prohibiting abortions based on gender, race or disability is going into effect after a federal judge lifted an order first issued six years ago blocking its enforcement.

Indiana's federal courts have been without mask mandates for months. But citing increasing spread and new guidance from the CDC, courts in the northern and southern district have reissued face covering requirements.

The White House says Zachary Myers, who specializes in national security and cyber matters as a federal prosecutor in Maryland, would be the first Black U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Indiana.

Fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed to enter public areas of the four courthouses of the federal Southern District of Indiana without wearing a face covering or observing social distancing.

Federal jury trials suspended last fall amid a surge in coronavirus cases are expected to resume in April in all divisions of the Southern District of Indiana, a judge announced Friday.

Mario Garcia will fill a new magistrate judgeship created for the district by the Judicial Conference of the United States.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Josh Minkler was appointed by President Donald Trump to the U.S. Attorney post in 2017 and was sworn in on Oct. 10, 2017, after being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

An order sent Friday by Chief Judge Jane E. Magnus-Stinson suspends all in-person jury trials in all divisions of the U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana until at least Jan. 25.

As part of the review, election officials are being asked to complete surveys on polling place accessibility in their counties. Investigators may then conduct on-site inspections.