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The Indiana Court of Appeals has not had any published or unpublished opinions posted online since May 6.
Don’t worry. That’s not a glitch, and the state’s appellate judges aren’t slacking.
Appellate Clerk Kevin Smith said no glitches were preventing opinions from being posted online. There just haven’t
been any opinions ready to be handed down recently, he said.
Chief Judge John G. Baker said there’s nothing to worry about.
This year, the state-marked holiday for primary election day May 4 combined with the appellate court’s arguments scheduled
outside Indianapolis meant that no opinions were circulated as usual last week. Opinions are typically posted about a week
after they are circulated internally for review by the judges sitting on the court panels, but that didn’t happen last
week and meant a lapse in finalized rulings, Chief Judge Baker said.
“April was slammed, and we had two teams on the road every week,” the chief judge said, noting the court’s
had 23 traveling arguments so far this year.
The court’s oral argument website page shows that judges heard arguments in Evansville on primary day, in West Lafayette
Wednesday, and in Wheatfield Friday.
For those watching appellate opinions online, the chief judge also noted that Wednesday might likely only produce one opinion.
But he said this time of year usually produces fewer opinions being posted, even though judges are continuing their work.
In the five past years, the first week of May – even those when the state paused for primary elections – has
produced appellate opinions. The court’s opinion page shows that 27 opinions came down in 2009 during the first week
of the month not counting primary election day; 67 in 2008, 57 in 2007, and 10 in 2006.
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