Justices take up disputes over teachers contracts, online user data

Members of the state’s highest court last week turned away nine cases on petition for transfer, but agreed to hear arguments in three cases.

The high court granted transfer in Culver Community Teachers Association, et al. v. Indiana Education Employment Relations Board, 21S-PL-64. There, a divided appellate panel overturned the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board’s final decisions that invalidated three teachers union contracts negotiated and ratified by educators and their respective school employers, finding the agreements did not comply with state law.

Contracts affected by the ruling include those for teachers and covered employees of the Culver Community Teachers Association, Decatur County Education Association, Smith-Green Community Schools Classroom Teachers Association, and West Clark Teachers Association, which appealed the board’s final decisions regarding their respective collective bargaining agreements.

Justices also granted transfer in ShermansTravel Media, LLC v. Gen3Ventures, LLC, 21S-PL-63, where a split appellate panel reversed summary judgment for marketing technology company Gen3 Ventures on the question of whether online travel media company ShermansTravel Media substantially performed its obligations under its settlement agreement with Gen3Ventures regarding the use of subscriber data.

Lastly, justices in a Feb. 9 decision dismissed Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant’s negligence appeal on timeliness grounds. The Supreme Court granted transfer and dismissed the appeal in Cooper’s Hawk Indianapolis, LLC, d/b/a Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant v. Katherine Ray, 21S-CT-56, ultimately finding no reason to allow the Indianapolis restaurant’s forfeited appeal of a trial court’s order denying it judgment against Katherine Ray to proceed.

The Indiana Supreme Court denied transfer to nine other cases during the week ending Feb. 12. All transfer decisions can be viewed here.