Federal judge awards ex-jail inmate $225K in chokehold suit
A federal judge has awarded $225,000 to a former western Indiana jail inmate who alleged a jail officer put him in a chokehold and threw him to the ground.
Court opinions
Articles
Life without parole affirmed by Indiana Supreme Court
A Pike County man whose own expert witness raised doubts about his character failed to convince the Indiana Supreme Court he should at least be given the possibility of parole.
Supreme Court affirms death sentence for Floyd County man
Finding the trial court did not err or abuse its discretion during the selection of jurors for the murder trial of William Clyde Gibson II, the Indiana Supreme Court affirmed his death penalty sentence.
Post-judgment petitions for attorney fees permissible, COA rules
Even after a trial court has entered a judgment and the case is settled, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled parties can still make a new filing for attorney fees.
Judges split 3 ways on motorist’s ambiguous response to DUI test
An apparently intoxicated motorist’s ambiguous reply to an officer’s request to perform a chemical test has resulted in a new, strict standard affirmed by only one of three judges who heard the driver’s appeal.
Plaintiff loses appeal over judgment on student loan
The successor interest in a student loan after its originator filed bankruptcy is entitled to judgment in its favor to collect a delinquent student loan, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
Juror’s Facebook link to victim’s family no cause for rape mistrial
A trial court properly denied a convicted rapist’s bid for a mistrial because a juror failed to disclose she was a Facebook friend with a relative of the victim, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
Dissenting judge: Majority ‘needlessly prolongs’ divorce case
A divorce case remanded to the trial court for proceedings needlessly prolonged the litigation, a dissenting Court of Appeals judge wrote Tuesday.
Roommate’s liability in early exit from lease rightly decided
A woman who appealed a small claims court order against her former live-in boyfriend failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that he owed her more money for moving out before their apartment lease was up.
Man loses appeal over predator designation
A trial court properly denied a man’s motion for a declaratory judgment seeking to overturn a Department of Correction designation that he is a sexually violent predator and offender against children.
COA reverses priority status for junior creditor in foreclosure
A bank that extended a $25,000 home equity line of credit to owners of a Newburgh property that subsequently was foreclosed was not entitled to a court ruling that gave its claim priority status.
COA tosses 40-year sentence and $400,000-plus restitution
A financial broker who bilked clients out of $8.9 million in an investment scam had his state sentence and order to pay restitution overturned by the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Facebook message, other evidence proper in molester’s trial
Evidence including a Facebook message sent to a 15-year-old girl was properly admitted in the trial of a man convicted of sexually abusing her at knifepoint, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
Widow not entitled to attorney fees in wrongful death case
Attorney fees awarded in a wrongful death suit have been overturned by the Indiana Court of Appeals weeks after the Indiana Supreme Court weighed in on the state statute’s language.
COA affirms child support, debt division orders
The Indiana Court of Appeals Monday rejected an adoptive father’s argument that he was ordered through a dissolution order to pay too much in child support, including a retroactive amount creating an arrearage.
Pool appeal sinks Carmel homeowner deeper underwater
A Carmel homeowner who stopped paying a contractor over quibbles with an in-ground pool installation filed a lawsuit that flopped at the trial court. His appeal went no more swimmingly.
Snarky former prosecutor no match for plan commission
A former prosecuting attorney who denied the truckloads of dirt dumped on his Boone County farm caused drainage problems got buried under a $519,400 fine.
COA upholds guest statute in auto injury case
An attempt to revive old constitutional arguments against Indiana’s guest statute failed to gain traction with the Indiana Court of Appeals.
COA reiterates Indiana has no private right of action in child abuse cases
Despite a mother’s assertion that she was actually filing a medical malpractice complaint, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled her complaint was a private right of action for failure to report child abuse, which is not recognized in Indiana.
Shoddy documents draws COA ire
After appearing to shrug off the need to authenticate documents, a company claiming to own the appellant’s credit card debt got a lesson in Indiana court rules and precedence.