Articles

COA: Switchblade ban not unconstitutional

A portion of Indiana Code that prohibits a person from owning a switchblade isn't unconstitutional as applied to a defendant and doesn't place a material burden upon the core value of the right to defend herself, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today. At issue in April Lacy v. State of Indiana, No. 31A04-0810-CR-571, is […]

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Officer safety justified opening ajar car door

The opening of an ajar car door by a police officer during a foot chase with a suspected robber didn't violate the man's federal or state constitutional rights, the Indiana Court of Appeals concluded today.

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COA first court to join ‘green’ ABA program

The Indiana Court of Appeals has been named as a Law Office Climate Challenge Partner by the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources. The appellate court is the first court in the country to join the program.

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COA decides eminent domain case

In considering a common arrangement between a utility company and property developer, the Indiana Court of Appeals has given a green light for that utility to exercise eminent domain when a developer is financing a sewer line extension to a proposed housing development.

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COA: Wife is liable for mortgages

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a judgment against a woman who denied signing for mortgages that are now in foreclosure; however, the judges disagreed whether the mortgage holder proved default under the terms of the notes.

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Judges disagree in police entry case

An Indiana Court of Appeals judge dissented from his colleagues' decision denying a man's motion to suppress evidence because he didn't believe the police officers were justified in kicking down the man's door and entering his apartment. In his dissent in Luis E. Duran v. State of Indiana,  No. 45A03-0811-CR-569, Judge Carr Darden cited the […]

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Judges uphold contingent fees award

The contingent fee contract a law firm entered into with a city regarding a sewer fee dispute, which ultimately led to the firm collecting nearly 10 times more than the city anticipated, was valid and reasonable, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed today.

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COA judge recuses himself from case

The Indiana Court of Appeals granted a rehearing in John Pickett v. State of Indiana, No. 47A01-0807-CR-322, to address whether Judge Cale Bradford should have recused himself because his ex-wife, Kimberly A. Jackson, represented John Pickett on appeal.

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COA: findings don’t support attorney fees

The Indiana Court of Appeals remanded a case today involving attorney fees – the appellate court questioned whether the Indiana High School Athletic Association was trying to dissuade appeals by athletes – because the findings of the case currently don't support the judgment.

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First impression in utility fee case

In a matter of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals had to determine whether the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission properly reviewed the rates and fees charged by a regional sewage district at the request of a campground owner.

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COA reverses termination over rule violation

The Indiana Court of Appeals split today in its decision to reverse the termination of a mother's parental rights. The majority found the trial court abused its discretion in allowing the mother's trial counsel to withdraw her appearance under a local court rule.

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Judges disagree on proof-of-age issue

Indiana Court of Appeals judges disagreed today about whether the state proved in its case a convicted child molester was 21 years old at the time the molestation occurred.

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COA reverses small claims judgment

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a small claims court judgment because it was troubled by the court's outright refusal to give the plaintiff a chance to introduce evidence to refute a counterclaim. In Robert A. Elrod v. Larry Brooks, No. 10A01-0903-CV-155, Robert Elrod appealed the small claims court's judgment in favor of Larry Brooks, who […]

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Temporary and lessee worker same under act

In what appears to be the first time the Indiana Court of Appeals has been presented with a joint employer argument in the context of Indiana Code Section 22-3-6-1(a), the Worker's Compensation Act, the appellate court determined that "temporary employee" and "leased employee" are not mutually exclusive terms and are interchangeable.

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COA upholds denial of motion for class action

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of a motion for a class-action suit because a claimant seeking redress pursuant the Wage Claims Act has to first submit the claim to the Department of Labor before filing a lawsuit and can't bypass the statute if another member of the putative class has already submitted a claim.

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COA reclassifies workplace e-mail case

The Indiana Court of Appeals April 16 reclassified a not-for-publication opinion regarding an Indiana Department of Local Government Finance employee's use of his work e-mail account.

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