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Documentary Film Premiere of And Justice for All: Indiana's Federal Courts
Date and time
Location
Indiana War Memorial
431 North Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46204Description
The Historical Society of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is celebrating its bicentennial with the release of a documentary film that covers the 200-year history of Indiana’s federal courts. A premiere screening of And Justice for All: Indiana’s Federal Courts will be held on June 14 at 4:00 p.m. at the Indiana War Memorial, 431 North Meridian St., Indianapolis, Indiana. The film provides an overview of the history of Indiana’s federal courts and the events surrounding three cases of historical significance:
- Ex parte Milligan, in which Indiana’s federal court played a role in answering the Constitutional question of whether civilians are eligible for prosecution by a military tribunal when civilian courts are open. This Civil War-era case made its way to the Supreme Court of the United States.
- United States v. Ryan, et al., a case involving members of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers who were prosecuted for their roles in allegedly having conspired to bomb their way to the bargaining table, resulting in the deaths of 21 people at the The Los Angeles Times and thousands of dollars in property damage. The 1912 conspiracy trial lasted three months and brought international media attention to Indianapolis.
- Finally, the film includes a reenactment of key moments from United States v. Board of School Commissioners of the City of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Public Schools desegregation case that began in 1968 and continued until 2016, when the busing order of Judge S. Hugh Dillin finally expired.
A brief reception will follow the screening.
The film was produced by Gudaitis Production, a documentary and educational film production company, led by David Gudaitis, Ph.D., Alan Backler, Ph.D., and Larry Laswell, M.A. It is made possible by the contributions of members and sponsors of the Historical Society of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, an Indiana Historical Society Heritage Support Grant made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc., the Indiana Bar Foundation, and the R. B. Annis Educational Foundation.
The film will also air following the premiere on WYFI on June 15, 2017, at 9 p.m. It will be made available on the Court’s Website and will be accompanied by a teacher’s guide to assist students across the State in learning about the history and importance of the federal judiciary in Indiana.
A link to the trailer for the film may be found here.