A special Indiana Court of Appeals hearing in the city today likely will draw a number of lawyers and others in the legal community – but voters have a reason to attend, too.

Three of the four appeals court judges who face a yes/no retention vote next month will be on the panel hearing the appeal of an Elkhart man, James Young, who was convicted of domestic battery and strangulation. He argues that public safety personnel testified about their conversations with his wife, but his wife did not testify, depriving him of his right to confront witnesses at trial. The state argues that the testimony of the two firefighters and police officer who talked with his wife was valid because their conversation came not in investigation of a possible crime but in the wife seeking emergency assistance at an Elkhart fire station.

All three judges face the retention vote: Paul Mathias, a Fort Wayne native and former Allen Superior Court judge; Nancy Vaidik, a former Porter County Superior Court judge; and Michael Barnes, former St. Joseph County prosecutor.

The fourth judge facing the retention vote is John Baker, a former Monroe County judge and a 23-year veteran of the appeals court – making him the veteran of the court.

The oral arguments will be heard at 10 a.m. today in Superior Courtroom 1 in the Allen County Courthouse.

After the arguments, the judges will allow general questions from the public.

Obamacare

A discussion of how the Affordable Care Act will affect residents, local businesses and the health care community will take place today. The event is sponsored by the IPFW College of Art and Sciences. It will include a panel discussion featuring Kathy Carrier, president and CEO of Briljent and Keepsake Threads; Rick Cochran, president and CEO of Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana Inc.; Dr. Raymond Dusman, chief physician executive at Parkview Health; and Dr. Jonathan D. Walker, a retinal surgeon and assistant clinical professor at Indiana University School of Medicine Fort Wayne.

The four panelists will share their thoughts on the law as well as answer questions from the audience. Abraham Schwab, an assistant professor of philosophy at IPFW, will be moderator.

Omnibus lecture

Jeffrey Toobin, author of the recently released “The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court,” will speak at IPFW’s Omnibus Lecture series on Wednesday. Tickets are free but required. Tickets are available for pickup at the Larson Ticket Office in Gates Athletics Center. Visit ipfw.edu/box-office to reserve a ticket.

Debates

This will be the last big week for political debates:

•The last presidential debate will air at 9 p.m. today with a focus on foreign policy.

•The last U.S. Senate candidates’ debate with Democrat Joe Donnelly, Republican Richard Mourdock and Libertarian Andrew Horning is at 7 p.m. Tuesday in New Albany.

•The last of three debates among the candidates for governor – Republican Mike Pence, Democrat John Gregg and Libertarian Rupert Boneham – begins at 7 p.m. Thursday in the studios of PBS station WFWA-TV.

•Superintendent of public instruction candidates Republican Tony Bennett and Democrat Glenda Ritz will debate in the studios of Northeast Indiana Public Radio at 7 p.m. Friday.