Lawmakers resume debate on issues impacting state courts
Both federal and state lawmakers seem to be letting the clock tick down to the final seconds.
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Both federal and state lawmakers seem to be letting the clock tick down to the final seconds.
Attorneys in Indiana know that they must meet certain ongoing requirements to maintain their law licenses: CLE hours, and staying abreast of procedural changes. Why, then, would anyone want to be licensed in two states?
Indiana Supreme Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Sheila Rudolph, et al. v. Roberta L. Ross, et al. (NFP)
49A02-1007-PL-754
Civil plenary. Affirms partial summary judgment for the Law Group of Ross and Brunner, and attorneys Roberta Ross and Darrolyn Ross in Rudolph and others suit alleging the attorneys improperly retained more than their share as compensation for legal services.
Jesse B. Scarsbrook v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1009-CR-1109
Criminal. Affirms revocation of placement in community corrections.
James A. Watson v. State of Indiana (NFP)
20A03-1005-CR-297
Criminal. Reverses calculation of credit for the time Watson served prior to the revocation of his probation and remands with instructions.
Think Tank Software Dev., et al. v. Chester, Inc., et al. (NFP)
64A03-1003-PL-172
Civil plenary. Reverses summary judgment on the basis that the covenant not to compete was overbroad, on the propriety of the confidentiality clause, and on the tortious interference with a contract issue. Affirms summary judgment on the other remaining issues. Remands for further proceedings consistent with the opinion.
Indiana Tax Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
The Indiana Supreme Court had granted four transfers and denied 33 for the week ending April 8.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Randall Woodruff, trustee, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, on behalf of Legacy Healthcare Inc. v. Indiana Family & Social Services Administration, Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning
29A02-1002-PL-220
Civil plenary. Reverses summary judgment in favor of the Family and Social Services Administration on New Horizon Development Center’s $4 million quantum meruit claim. Once a provider with a long-term care facility has been voluntarily or involuntarily terminated, FSSA, as the state Medicaid agency, has the primary responsibility for relocating the Medicaid patients and for ensuring their safe and orderly transfer from the old facility.
Indiana Family and Social Services must reimburse an Arcadia, Ind., long-term care facility for the costs the facility paid in caring for Medicaid patients after FSSA ended its provider agreement based on the conditions at the facility, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday.
The Indiana Supreme Court has taken four cases, including one that deals with an insurance dispute over cleanup costs.
The Indiana Supreme Court announced Monday a new program that allows parties in mortgage foreclosure settlement cases to exchange financial documents over a secure online network.
Joseph Hogsett, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, received a ticket for speeding in Owen County. Hogsett was driving 10 miles over the posted speed limit on State Road 46 when he was stopped and cited for speeding.
Indiana Supreme Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Gerald W. Sandefur v. State of Indiana
71A05-1009-CR-605
Criminal. Affirms convictions of Class A misdemeanor invasion of privacy and Class D felony battery and remands with instructions to vacate the conviction and sentence for Class A misdemeanor battery. The arresting officer’s testimony fit the excited utterance exception to the hearsay rule, there is sufficient circumstantial evidence to convict Sandefur of battery, but he can’t be convicted of both the misdemeanor and felony on double jeopardy grounds.
Dana Birdin v. Barbara Blakemore (NFP)
49A02-1007-EU-833
Estate unsupervised. Affirms judgment against Birdin in the amount of $9,450 on a conversion claim and more than $75,000 on a replevin claim and order that Birdin pay Blakemore’s attorney fees.
Mark Gregory v. State of Indiana (NFP)
48A02-1009-CR-984
Criminal. Affirms revocation of probation and order Gregory serve his remaining term of approximately 65 years in prison.
Joseph Dixon v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A04-1008-CR-488
Criminal. Affirms sentence following guilty plea to three counts of Class B felony burglary and one count of Class C felony burglary.
Indiana Tax Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Samuel D. Raisor, et al. v. Edward O. Carter, et al.
49A05-1010-CT-629
Civil tort. Reverses summary judgment for Jimmie’s Raceway Pub, in which the trial court found the Raisors’ action was barred by the two-year statute of limitations for personal injury actions and the amended complaint couldn’t relate back to the original filing date because Jimmie’s received notice of the action after the expiration of the 120-day period allowed under Ind. Trial Rule 15(C).
Even if the U.S. Congress fails to pass a short-term budget measure and prevent a government shutdown before midnight Friday, the various arms of the Indiana federal legal community will remain operating mostly as usual – at least for the time being.
The Indiana Court of Appeals examined how the 120-day time limit under Indiana Trial Rule 15(C) on amending a complaint to substitute a party interacts with the two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, and held that the 120-day time limit can’t be allowed to operate prematurely to bar a claim when the statute of limitations is still running.
A forensic geneticist who has worked on the exonerations of seven people will visit Indiana University April 15 to give a public lecture on how DNA is used to free people who have been wrongfully convicted and how informatics is being misused to pervert justice.
The Indiana Court of Appeals was split in deciding whether an estate received the correct amount of damages from the Indiana Patients’ Compensation Fund. One judge believed the trial court used an incorrect approach for calculating damages because the deceased man had at least a 50 percent chance of survival before the medical negligence.
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals addressed Thursday the term “sexual activity” – an issue in which there is scant law – and ordered a man be acquitted. The man was convicted under federal statute for attempting to entice a girl he believed to be less than 18 years old to engage in any sexual activity while they chatted online.
Indiana Supreme Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Stephen Harvey v. State of Indiana (NFP)
92A03-1008-PC-469
Post conviction. Affirms denial of petition for post-conviction relief.
Brian Redd v. State of Indiana (NFP)
02A03-1010-CR-533
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class C felony child molesting.
Michael L. Yates v. State of Indiana (NFP)
34A04-1010-CR-606
Criminal. Affirms conviction of and sentence for Class B felony attempted armed robbery.
Joseph Munden v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A04-1009-CR-534
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class C felony carrying a handgun without a license.
Jacob M. Jones v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1009-CR-959
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class A misdemeanor invasion of privacy.
Indiana Tax Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. Jeffrey P. Taylor
10-2715
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division, Judge James T. Moody.
Criminal. Reverses conviction of and 10-year sentence for violating 18 U.S.C. Section 2422(b), which deals with knowingly persuading or enticing someone under 18 to engage in prostitution or any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so. The section is ambiguous and sexual activity and sexual act could be synonyms and therefore require contact between the perpetrator and victim for a conviction. Remands with instructions to acquit Taylor. Judge Manion concurs in a separate opinion.
Indiana Supreme Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Gariup Construction Co. v. Carras-Szany-Kuhn & Associates, et al.
45A04-1007-PL-429
Civil plenary. Affirms summary judgment in favor of the architect Carras-Szany-Kuhn and the successful bidder and denied unsuccessful bidder Gariup Construction’s claim alleging the architect; Behling & Son, the successful bidder; and others colluded to restrict bidding in violation of the Indiana Antitrust Act. The designated evidence doesn’t present a genuine issue of material fact from which a factfinder could reasonably infer that the architect and successful bidder colluded to restrict bidding. Declines to find that the architect and successful bidder are entitled to appellate attorneys fees.
Larry Pryor v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1005-CR-556
Criminal. Affirms adjudication as a habitual offender after being found guilty of burglary, theft, and possession of paraphernalia.
First Consumer Credit, Inc. v. Sho-Pro of Indiana, Inc. (NFP)
49A02-1010-CC-1245
Civil collections. Reverses summary judgment in favor of Sho-Pro of Indiana in First Consumer Credit Inc.’s action alleging breach of contract. Remands with instructions to enter summary judgment in favor of FCC.
Indiana Tax Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Gariup Construction Co. v. Carras-Szany-Kuhn & Associates, et al.
45A04-1007-PL-429
Civil plenary. Affirms summary judgment in favor of the architect Carras-Szany-Kuhn and the successful bidder and denied unsuccessful bidder Gariup Construction’s claim alleging the architect; Behling & Son, the successful bidder; and others colluded to restrict bidding in violation of the Indiana Antitrust Act. The designated evidence doesn’t present a genuine issue of material fact from which a factfinder could reasonably infer that the architect and successful bidder colluded to restrict bidding. Declines to find that the architect and successful bidder are entitled to appellate attorneys fees.
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a man’s petition for post-conviction relief claiming ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel. The man failed to introduce the original trial transcript at his post-conviction hearing and the post-conviction court didn’t take judicial notice of the record, as it’s now able to do under an amended Indiana Evidence Rule.