Federal court dismisses suit against judge
A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit against an Allen Circuit judge because the judge was entitled to judicial immunity in a suit filed by a pro se plaintiff disgruntled about a small claims ruling.
Court opinions
Articles
COA: Dealership not denied due process
he Indiana Court of Appeals directly addressed for the first time today the due process implications of an administrative law judge conducting a hearing without the participation of a party who received notice but couldn't be contacted by telephone at the time of the hearing. The appellate court found a car dealership's due process hadn't been violated when it failed to participate in a telephone hearing with the administrative law judge and a former employee.
Decomposition cleanup subject to lien law
A decomposing body left in a Johnson County home has led the Indiana Court of Appeals to analyze the state mechanic's lien statute.
Court reverses joint tenancy interest ruling
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a finding that a mother and her daughter and son-in-law each held a one-half joint tenancy in a property, finding the parties actually held one-third undivided interest as joint tenants.
Riverboat not covered by Jones Act
A casino riverboat that is indefinitely moored to the shore isn't considered a vessel in navigation under the federal Jones Act, so a riverboat worker can't bring a claim for compensation of injuries under the act, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today.
7th Circuit: taxpayer suit for restitution is moot
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court's dismissal of a taxpayer suit against the secretary of
the U.S. Department of Education as moot, finding the taxpayers didn't have standing to sue for violations of the Establishment
Clause based on a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.
COA disagrees on reason to grant appeal
The Indiana Court of Appeals unanimously reversed the revocation of a man's probation but disagreed as to the manner in which the appellate court was authorized to do so.
Law doesn’t contain presumption on negligence
The Indiana Court of Appeals found a trial court committed a reversible error when it instructed a jury that Indiana law has a rebuttable presumption that children ages 7 through 14 can't be found contributorily negligent. The ruling came in a suit against a school for the death of a student.
High court grants transfers with opinions
The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer with opinion to two cases today and granted transfer to another, which it remanded to the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Court: CHINS records aren’t available to media
The circumstances that led to two siblings being deemed as children in need of services and the media attention their family received don't justify the trial court allowing the media access to the children's CHINS records, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today.
Prior conviction counts in sentencing decision
A prior drunk-driving conviction – reached pursuant to a state statute now repealed and recodified in a newer law – can be used in determining a person's sentence, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today.
Judges disagree on punitive damages award
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld a compensatory damage award today for a couple that was attacked, but the majority remanded the trial court's punitive damage award because it was excessive.
7th Circuit panel opines practical tips
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has some practical advice for criminal law attorneys who go before federal judges: have handy a copy of federal criminal procedure rules, particularly those involving plea discussions at sentencing, and don’t be afraid to correct or point out omissions to a judge.
Court remands to recalculate attorneys’ fees
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the eviction of a renter and an award of damages in favor of her former landlord, but it reversed the amount of attorneys' fees she has to pay because the trial court's rationale in determining the amount was insufficient.
7th Circuit affirms in questionable merger case
The judges of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals took a plaintiff to task for filing a frivolous appeal and evading regulations of the Securities Act of 1933.
COA: Award fees for litigation costs
The Indiana Court of Appeals instructed a trial court today to follow its guidance on remand to determine the amount of money to award to a man who wants to recover fees for litigation at the trial and appellate levels. The court hopes to avoid another appeal of the case.
Court: Lawyer necessary in federal litigation
Although the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions of a defendant and his company for violations of the Clean Water Act in an unpublished opinion today, the appellate court wrote a separate opinion to discuss the issue of whether a limited liability corporation can proceed pro se in federal litigation if an attorney had already worked on the case.
No partial parental right termination allowed
Indiana law doesn't allow for partial termination of parental rights, the state's Court of Appeals has ruled in a case of first impression.
Judges split on sentence reduction
An Indiana Court of Appeals panel was split in determining how much weight to give to a defendant's mental illness in evaluating her sentence.
COA: Let a sex offender stipulate
A convicted sex offender accused of failing to register will get a new trial, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today.