Court opinions

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Robert A. Kissinger v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
22A-CR-2647
Criminal. Affirms Robert Kissinger’s conviction and 30-year sentence for Level 1 felony child molesting. Finds the DeKalb Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion in admitting a nurse’s report, and even if it did, the error was harmless. Also finds the evidence is sufficient to identify Kissinger as the perpetrator and to support his conviction. Finally, finds Kissinger’s advisory sentence is not an outlier.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Jordan M. Norton v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-2314
Criminal. Dismisses Jordan Norton’s appeal of his convictions and sentence for battery by means of a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony, and criminal recklessness, a Level 6 felony. Finds Norton was not entitled to file a belated notice of appeal. Judge Leanna Weissmann dissents with separate opinion.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
James H. Higgason III v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-2000
Criminal. Affirms James Higgason III’s three convictions of murder. Finds the Lake Superior Court did not abuse its discretion when it denied Higgason’s motion to dismiss and motion for mistrial. Also finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it admitted the digitized recording of the phone calls between David Copley and Higgason. Finally, finds any error in the trial court’s decision to not notify counsel when the jury asked a question about Higgason’s culpability was harmless because Higgason did not establish prejudice. and there was sufficient evidence to convict Higgason of the murders.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Adam B. Kenny v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-2082
Criminal. Affirms Adam Kenny’s convictions of Level 2 felony dealing in methamphetamine, Level 6 felony unlawful possession of a syringe, Class C misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia, Class A misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license and three counts of Class A misdemeanor unlawful possession of a firearm by a dangerous person. Finds the Tippecanoe Superior Court did not abuse its discretion in admitting evidence resulting from a valid traffic stop consistent with the Fourth Amendment.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
MEGA OIL, INC., an Illinois Corporation, et al. v. CITATION 2004 INVESTMENT, LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company
22A-MI-1275
Miscellaneous. Affirms the Gibson Circuit Court’s grant of partial summary judgment to Citation 2004 Investment LLC. Finds the trial court did not clearly err.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Kristopher M. Wainscott v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-1817
Criminal. Affirms the denial of Kristopher Wainscott’s motion to suppress all evidence derived from the search warrant for his phone. Finds the warrant had already been executed by the seizure of the phone when the alleged victim partially recanted her allegations against Wainscott, so the state had no obligation to inform the magistrate judge of the partial recantation.