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Koch receives Aviation Indiana’s Senator of the Year award

2020

Aviation Indiana recently announced at its annual conference that District 44 Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, has been awarded Senator of the Year for his work on Senate Enrolled Act 257 during the 2020 legislative session.

SEA 257 protects Indiana’s airspace from projects having an adverse impact on military operations and readiness. The legislation also allows airports to have a voice in local zoning issues where aviation safety might be negatively impacted.

“I’m honored to be named Aviation Indiana’s Senator of the Year for 2020,” Koch said. “Our local airports are important assets, and their continued safe operation will be enhanced by this legislation.”

During the presentation at the conference, held virtually Oct. 15, Aviation Indiana Executive Director Bart Giesler said, “We appreciate Sen. Koch for introducing SEA 257, but more importantly for making changes that provide even more safety for the flying public. By requiring state and federal agencies to better coordinate on tall structures and by giving airports a voice in zoning cases for other types of safety issues, SEA 257 provides the right balance between development and safety.”

Brian Thompson, president of the Seymour Municipal Airport Authority, also offered his thanks.

“The airport would like to thank Sen. Koch for his work on SEA 257, which will enhance the safety of all airports,” Thompson said. “The senator’s contribution to the integrity of aviation will have an impact for many years to come. Thank you, Sen. Koch.”

Full Article

Eric Koch Named Legislator of the Year by The Arc of Indiana

2020

(STATEHOUSE) – The Arc of Indiana recently named State Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) as its 2019 Legislator of the Year.

Sen. Koch received the award for his work on Senate Enrolled Act 380 during the 2019 legislative session, which created the option of supported decision making agreements instead of guardianships for adults who need support and accommodations in making, communicating and effectuating decisions. The law also requires a court to consider less restrictive options before appointing a guardian.

“It’s an honor to be recognized with this award from The Arc of Indiana,” Sen. Koch said. “This legislation took several years of hard work with many different stakeholders, including The Arc of Indiana and the local chapter, Stone Belt Arc of Monroe County. This is an organization that has done, and continues to do, great work by empowering Hoosiers with disabilities.”

Full Article

Koch to Chair Senate Committee on Judiciary

2019

STATEHOUSE (Nov. 6, 2019) – State Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) has been appointed by Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) to chair the Senate Committee on Judiciary for the 2020 legislative session.

“Sen. Koch is an extremely accomplished attorney and I have the utmost confidence in him as he assumes the chairmanship of the Judiciary committee,” Bray said. “His knowledge of the field and years of legislative experience working on these topics will serve him well as he takes on this new leadership role.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee is considered one of the most influential committees in the General Assembly. The committee has broad legislative jurisdiction that includes social and constitutional issues. The committee is also responsible for the issues relating to the state's courts and oversight of key activities of the executive branch.

In addition to serving as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Koch will also continue to serve as a member of the Senate Committees on Commerce and Technology; Corrections and Criminal Law; and Utilities.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the Judiciary Committee at this important time in our state's history," said Sen. Koch. "I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the major issues facing our state and with our state's judges to ensure the fair and efficient operation of our Court system." Full Article

Eric Koch Chairs 2019 ICLEF Legislative Update

2019

Indianapolis - Attorney and State Senator Eric Koch served as Faculty Chair of the 33rd Annual Legislative Update seminar held at the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum in Indianapolis. The annual continuing legal education program features lawyer-legislators who provide insight into laws recently passed by the Indiana General Assembly.

Sen. Koch was joined by State Senator Randy Head (Logansport), State Senator Mike Young (Indianapolis), Senator Aaron Freeman (Indianapolis), and State Representative Ed DeLaney (Indianapolis).

Full Release

Koch appointed to FCC Consumer Advisory Committee

2019

State Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, was appointed to serve on the Federal Communications Commission Consumer Advisory Committee.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai appointed Koch to the committee, which provides advice and makes recommendations to the FCC consumer matters, as specified by the commission.

According to a news release, the committee is made up of individuals representing consumers, the communications industry, government, trade associations, academia and others.

As a state senator, Koch has served on the Indiana Senate Committee on Utilities, which has jurisdiction over telecommunication issues. His district includes the southern portion of Monroe County, all of Brown and Lawrence counties, and parts of Jackson and Bartholomew. Full Release.

Eric Koch Receives NFIB’s Guardian of Small Business Award

2019

State Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, received the Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Business Wednesday at the Statehouse.

Koch was honored for his support of Indiana’s small-business community, according to the NFIB in Indiana, the state’s leading small-business association. Full Release.

Koch Elected to NCEP Leadership

2019

State Senator Eric Koch (R-Bedford) has been elected to the 12-member Executive Committee of the National Council on Electricity Policy (NCEP) based in Washington, DC. Full Release.

Eric Koch Awarded Legislative Excellence Award

2018

State Senator Eric Koch (R-Bedford) has been awarded the Legislative Excellence Award by the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council.

Eric Koch Attends October 2018 Midwest Civil Justice Reform Summit

Eric Koch attended the Midwest Civil Justice Reform Summit as a member of Indiana's team appointed by the Chief Justice of our Supreme Court. Commenting on the importance of the meeting, Eric said: "We are working on ways to lower the costs of litigation, speed case resolution, and make access to courts more user friendly through new technologies."

Eric Koch Serves at the 127th Annual Meeting of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws

Louisville, Kentucky July 2018

Eric Koch served as Commissioner representing the State of Indiana at the 127th Annual Meeting of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.

Eric Koch Chairs ICLEF Seminar

2018

Indianapolis - Attorney and State Senator Eric Koch served as Faculty Chair of the 32nd Annual Legislative Update seminar held at the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum in Indianapolis. The annual continuing legal education program features lawyer-legislators who provide insight into laws recently passed by the Indiana General Assembly. Sen. Koch was joined by State Senator Randy Head (Logansport), State Senator Mike Young (Indianapolis), State Representative Matt Pierce (Bloomington), and State Representative Ed DeLaney (Indianapolis).

Senator Koch Named a ULC Commissioner

2018

State Senator Eric Koch (R-Bedford) has been appointed to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Law by Senate President Pro Tempore David Long.

The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, also known as the Uniform Law Commission, now in its 127th year, provides states with non-partisan, well-conceived and well-drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law. The organization, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, comprises more than 300 lawyers, judges, and law professors, appointed by the states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to research, draft and promote enactment of uniform state laws in areas of state law where uniformity is desirable and practical. Since its inception in 1892, the group has promulgated more than 200 acts, among them such bulwarks of state statutory law as the Uniform Commercial Code, the Uniform Probate Code, and the Uniform Partnership Act.

  • ULC strengthens the federal system by providing rules and procedures that are consistent from state to state but that also reflect the diverse experience of the states.
  • ULC statutes are representative of state experience, because the organization is made up of representatives from each state, appointed by state government.
  • ULC keeps state law up-to-date by addressing important and timely legal issues.
  • ULC’s efforts reduce the need for individuals and businesses to deal with different laws as they move and do business in different states.
  • ULC’s work facilitates economic development and provides a legal platform for foreign entities to deal with U.S. citizens and businesses.
  • ULC Commissioners donate thousands of hours of their time and legal and drafting expertise every year as a public service, and receive no salary or compensation for their work.
  • ULC’s deliberative and uniquely open drafting process draws on the expertise of commissioners, but also utilizes input from legal experts, and advisors and observers representing the views of other legal organizations or interests that will be subject to the proposed laws.
  • ULC is a state-supported organization that represents true value for the states, providing services that most states could not otherwise afford or duplicate.

The Uniform Law Commission (ULC) has worked for the uniformity of state laws since 1892. It is a non-profit unincorporated association, comprised of state commissions on uniform laws from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each jurisdiction determines the method of appointment and the number of commissioners actually appointed. Most jurisdictions provide for their commission by statute.

There is only one fundamental requirement for the more than 300 uniform law commissioners: that they be members of the bar. While some commissioners serve as state legislators, most are practitioners, judges, and law professors. They serve for specific terms, and receive no salaries or fees for their work with the ULC.

The state uniform law commissioners come together as the Uniform Law Commission for one purpose—to study and review the law of the states to determine which areas of law should be uniform. The commissioners promote the principle of uniformity by drafting and proposing specific statutes in areas of the law where uniformity between the states is desirable. The ULC can only propose—no uniform law is effective until a state legislature adopts it.

The ULC is a working organization. The uniform law commissioners participate in drafting specific acts; they discuss, consider, and amend drafts of other commissioners; they decide whether to recommend an act as a uniform or a model act; and they work toward enactment of ULC acts in their home jurisdictions.

Senator Koch is an attorney with The Koch Law Firm P.C., with offices in Bedford and Bloomington. He serves Senate District 44, which includes all or parts of Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Lawrence, and Monroe Counties.

State Sen. Eric Koch to Serve on Indiana Public Defender Commission

State Sen. Eric Koch has been appointed by Senate President Pro Tem David Long to serve on the Indiana Public Defender Commission.

The Commission recommends state standards for indigent defense in capital and non-capital cases, adopts salary guidelines and fee schedules for individual county reimbursement eligibility, and reviews and approves requests for reimbursement in capital cases from counties. The Commission consists of 11 members, including four members from the Indiana General Assembly, and meets quarterly to authorize reimbursements and discuss issues related to providing high-quality indigent criminal defense.

The Commission is responsible for:

  • Making recommendations to the Indiana Supreme Court concerning standards for indigent defense services provided for defendants against whom the state has sought the death sentence, including:
  • Determining indigency and eligibility for legal representation.
  • Selection and qualifications of attorneys to represent indigent defendants at public expense.
  • Determining conflicts of interest.
  • Investigative, clerical, and other support services necessary to provide adequate legal representation.
  • Adopting guidelines and standards for indigent defense services under which counties are eligible for reimbursement, including:
    • Determining indigency and the eligibility for legal representation.
    • The issuance and enforcement of orders requiring defendants to pay for the costs of court appointed legal representation.
    • The use and expenditure of funds in the county supplemental public defender services fund.
    • Qualifications of attorneys to represent indigent defendants at public expense.
    • Minimum and maximum caseloads of public defender offices and contract attorneys.
  • Making recommendations concerning the delivery of indigent defense services in Indiana.
  • Making an annual report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Supreme Court on the operation of the public defense fund.

More information about Indiana Public Defender Commission can be found here.

Sen. Koch is an attorney with The Koch Law Firm P.C., with offices in Bloomington and Bedford.

Eric Koch Wins the Martindale-Hubbell® Client Distinction Award

February and April 2015

Eric Koch was honored with the 2015 Martindale-Hubbell® Client Distinction Award. Fewer than 4% of the 900,000+ attorneys listed on Martindale.com and Lawyers.com receive this honor of distinction. This award is based on client reviews. Their clients rated them favorably in the areas of:

  • Communications Ability
  • Responsiveness
  • Quality of Service
  • Value for Money

Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Ratings is a prestigious organization that assists individuals looking to hire attorneys. Client Review Ratings were designed to assist other people seeking legal services. The objective ratings help potential clients identify lawyers with the highest ethical standards and professional ability so they can make better informed decisions.

Attorney Eric Allan Koch Named To Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum

12/2014

The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is pleased to announce that attorney Eric Allan Koch of Bloomington IN has been certified as a life member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is recognized as one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements. The organization was founded in 1993 and there are approximately 4000 members located throughout the country. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. Forum membership acknowledges excellence in advocacy, and provides members with a national network of experienced colleagues for professional referral and information exchange in major cases. Members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum must have acted as principal counsel in at least one case in which their client has received a verdict, award or settlement in the amount of one million dollars or more.

Members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum must be Life Members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and must have acted as principal counsel in at least one case which has resulted in a multi-million dollar verdict, award or settlement. Mr. Koch has been approved for membership in both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Eric Koch Chairs ICLEF Seminar

June 14, 2017

Indianapolis - Attorney and State Senator Eric Koch served as Faculty Chair of the 31st Annual Legislative Update seminar held at the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum in Indianapolis. The annual continuing legal education program features lawyer-legislators who provide insight into laws recently passed by the Indiana General Assembly. Sen. Koch was joined by State Senator Randy Head (Logansport) State Senator Karen Tallian (Ogden Dunes), State Representative Tom Washburne (Darmstadt), and State Representative Ryan Dvorak (South Bend).

Koch Receives Champion of Justice Award

Sept. 15, 2016

The Indiana Judges Association presented State Rep. Eric Koch with the 2016 Champion of Justice Award for his legislative service at the organization’s annual meeting in French Lick.

The Champion of Justice Award is given each year by the Indiana Judges Association to members of the Indiana General Assembly for work they have done supporting and promoting legislation relating to the judicial branch.

“It is a great honor to receive this recognition for my work on issues relating to the judicial branch of state government,” Koch said. “We are fortunate in Indiana to have a collaborative relationship between the legislative and judicial branches of government. I look forward to continuing our work together to make Indiana’s courts a model for the rest of the nation.”

Judge Robert Freese, the association’s president, said Koch was recognized for his work in updating the Indiana Criminal Code, as well as his career-long commitment to passing legislation aimed at improving the judiciary.

“Representative Koch’s positions and advocacy over the years have truly helped guide others in recognizing the benefits of judicial-related legislation and its effect on all Hoosiers,” Freese said.

Koch Honored By State Bar

Indianapolis (October 8, 2014) - Eric Allan Koch, a 1987 graduate of Georgetown University and 1989 graduate of the Indiana University School of Law, was among the attorneys recognized by the Indiana State Bar Association for 25 years of membership at its 118th Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.

Eric Koch Selected for National Leadership Role in Darvocet Litigation

Koch appointed by federal judge to serve on Plaintiffs' Steering Committee for cases in the Darvocet multi-district litigation.

Oct. 5, 2011 - Eric Koch has been appointed by a federal judge to a leadership position in the national litigation surrounding the pain killer drug Darvocet, which has been banned by the Food & Drug Administration for causing serious cardiac problems. Cases against the manufacturers were consolidated this week before U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Koch was named by Judge Reeves to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee which is responsible for prosecuting the liability pretrial aspects of the litigation on behalf of the plaintiffs.

"Judge Reeves has appointed an experienced group of attorneys from across the country to lead this effort," Koch said. "I'm looking forward to working with them to bring these cases to a successful resolution for our clients."

Koch said consolidating the cases into an MDL will help make pretrial procedures such as discovery more efficient and will save both time and money for everyone involved.

In November 2010, the FDA banned Darvon, Darvocet and other generic versions of the drugs containing propoxyphene, which has been plagued with safety concerns since it was first developed in the 1950's. The total ban came after studies showed that healthy people taking normal doses of the drug could experience serious cardiac side effects.

"The drug's effectiveness in reducing pain is no longer enough to outweigh the drug's serious potential heart risks," said Dr. John Jenkins, an FDA official, in a news release about the Darvocet ban.

Since 2009, more than 10 million patients have been prescribed some form of propoxyphene, according to the FDA.

Koch Case At The Indiana Supreme Court

Eric Koch at the Indiana Supreme Court

Eric Koch, Patrick Noaker, and Tom Manges

After a jury awarded the plaintiff in a child sexual abuse action $150,000 in punitive damages, the Marion Superior Court declared that the limitations on punitive damage awards set out in Indiana Code sections 34-51-3-4 & 5 violate Article 3, Section 1 and Article 1, Section 20 of the Indiana Constitution. The State of Indiana intervened and initiated this direct appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court.

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Bedford lawmakers recognized for helping provide Pro Bono Legal Services to Hoosiers

11/14/2012

STATEHOUSE – State Sen. Brent Steele (R-Bedford) and Rep. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) have been named recipients of the 2012 Indiana Pro Bono Commission's Randall T. Shepard Award for excellence in pro bono publico.

The Bedford legislators were recognized for their support and commitment to passing House Enrolled Act 1049, which secured funding for Indiana's pro bono district programs. These programs help provide pro bono legal services to low-income Hoosiers across the state.

"As practicing attorneys, Representative Koch and I understand how critical pro bono work is for the functioning of Indiana's justice system, which is why we worked to secure funding for pro bono district programs in our state," Steele said. "I am both humbled and honored to be recognized by my colleagues in the Indiana Bar Foundation for this effort. The Randall T. Shepard Award is appropriately named in honor of our former chief justice, who continually urged members of our profession to do more to make the courts accessible to those in difficult financial situations."

"This is a great honor, which I accept on behalf of all of the attorneys in our state who generously volunteer their time helping those in need of legal services," Koch said. "The pro bono program provides the essential framework to match those Hoosiers in need of services with those attorneys willing to provide them pro bono. Senator Steele and I recognize the value that this service provides to the underserved in our communities and appreciate the recognition conferred by this prestigious award.

The Indiana Pro Bono Commission is a program of the Indiana Bar Foundation.

Koch Law Firm Wins the Martindale-Hubbell® Client Distinction Award

October 4, 2012

Eric Koch was honored with the 2013 Martindale-Hubbell® Client Distinction Award. Fewer than 4% of the 900,000+ attorneys listed on Martindale.com and Lawyers.com receive this honor of distinction. This award is based on client reviews. Mr. Koch's clients rated him 4.8 out of 5.0 in the areas of:

  • Communications Ability
  • Responsiveness
  • Quality of Service
  • Value for Money

Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Ratings is a prestigious organization that assists individuals looking to hire attorneys. Client Review Ratings were designed to assist other people seeking legal services. The objective ratings help potential clients identify lawyers with the highest ethical standards and professional ability so they can make better informed decisions.