Justices reverse grant of transfer in teen murder case following oral arguments
Just hours after hearing oral arguments on the merits in a murder case from 2000, the Indiana Supreme Court reversed its decision to assume jurisdiction over the case.
Justice Christopher Goff
Articles
Justices decline shot man’s suit against store over gun sale after warning
A man who warned a sporting goods store clerk to never sell a gun to his girlfriend because she would use it to shoot him has no case against the retailer, the Indiana Supreme Court held in rejecting the man’s transfer petition.
Justices grant transfer in stalking, duty of care cases
Indiana Supreme Court justices declined to hear oral arguments in 13 cases last week but agreed to hear two cases involving duty of care and stalking.
Panelists urge counties to keep ‘open mind’ on pretrial release reform
Stakeholders from around Indiana shared experiences and expectations regarding pretrial release reform as the entire state moves toward a system less reliant on cash bail beginning in January.
Video hearings did not result in unfair or harmful juvenile proceedings
Two juveniles will remain wards of the Indiana Department of Correction after the Indiana Supreme Court found that while their participation in their modification hearings through Skype violated an administrative rule, it did not cause a fundamental error.
Indiana’s struggle with insanity defense mirrors coming SCOTUS case
A case that split the Indiana Supreme Court last December over a criminal defendant’s mental capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions dovetails into a larger question looming before the U.S. Supreme Court — whether states have to provide laws that allow for an insanity defense.
Rush reappointed with unanimous support from JNC, justices
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush will serve a second term as head of the Hoosier judiciary after a unanimous reappointment vote Wednesday from the Judicial Nominating Commission.
JNC to interview Rush, justices on chief justice appointment
The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission will vote this month to select the state’s next chief justice. In Friday announcement, the Indiana Supreme Court said the commission will begin interviews regarding the reappointment of Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush at 9 a.m. August 21 in Room 319 of the Statehouse.
Goff discusses path to bench, sentencing reform efforts
Indiana Supreme Court Justice Christopher Goff won the lottery. That’s how he describes his legal career, at least. Goff spoke about his legal and judicial career during a Friday afternoon session at the Indiana State Bar Association Solo/Small Firm Conference, held over the weekend in French Lick.
Supreme Court justices become ‘potential jurors’ at ISBA panel
The tables were turned on the Indiana Supreme Court justices Friday morning. Instead of being the ones to ask the questions, the five justices were treated as potential jurors during a panel discussion at the Indiana State Bar Association Solo/Small Firm Conference in French Lick.
Justices: Trial court’s threats of contempt abuse of discretion
Indiana Supreme Court justices have reversed a post-conviction court’s ruling after agreeing it abused its discretion by using heavy-handed threats of contempt that prevented an attorney from making an offer of proof.
Wabash Superior judge appointed in 2017 dies at 42
A judge appointed to the Wabash Superior Court by Gov. Eric Holcomb less than two years ago as a successor to now-Indiana Supreme Court Justice Christopher Goff has died. Judge Amy Catherine Conner Cornell, 42, died Feb. 19 after an illness.
David, Goff publish dissent after justices let stand parents’ reimbursement order
Two Indiana Supreme Court justices have once again published a dissent from a 3-2 transfer ruling, which this time let stand a monthly reimbursement order for the parents of an adjudicated teen despite their alleged struggle to meet the payment requirements. Justices Steven David and Christopher Goff argued the trial court should have conducted a specific inquiry into the parents’ ability to pay the ordered reimbursement.
Justices consider timeliness of breach of contract complaint
A timeliness dispute between a dump truck manufacturer and one of its customers focusing on when causes of action accrued in the case went before the Indiana Supreme Court for oral arguments late last week.
Justices consider admissibility of disciplinary history of medical expert
Indiana Supreme Court justices heard oral argument Thursday in a minor fender bender case that resulted in a $1.3 million verdict, considering whether questions regarding a medical expert witness’ disciplinary history and competence should have been admitted.
David, Rush publish dissent as high court lets stand sentencing via video
Indiana’s chief justice and the most senior jurist on the Indiana Supreme Court published a sharp dissent Tuesday from a 3-2 ruling that could pave the way for defendants to be sentenced via video. Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Steven David argued in the minority that defendants have a constitutional right to be physically present when a judge imposes a sentence for a crime.
Split justices uphold ruling for insurer in truck crash that killed 3
Justices of the Indiana Supreme Court decided in a 3-2 vote last week to let stand a ruling that an insurance company owes no duty to victims of a truck crash in which the driver knowingly operated the vehicle with faulty brakes.
Divided justices say Grant Co. couple must comply with orders to repair ‘high-hazard’ dam
A Grant County couple must now abide by a Department of Natural Resources order to bring a dam into compliance with the Dam Safety Act following a divided Indiana Supreme Court decision that affirmed the order’s enforcement.
Justices reinstate child molesting convictions under attenuation doctrine
Four Level 1 felony child molesting convictions will be reinstated against a Blackford County man after the Indiana Supreme Court found the man’s incriminating statements to police were sufficiently attenuated from an illegal search and seizure of his apartment. The court’s ruling also more broadly holds that the federal attenuation doctrine can be applied under the Indiana Constitution.
Supreme Court: E-filing now covers 90 percent of state
Electronic filing now covers 90 percent of Indiana trial courts and nearly 80 percent of the state’s caseload is now handled through the Odyssey case management system, the Indiana Supreme Court highlighted Monday with the release of its annual report. The annual report includes a broad statistical overview of the work of the court during the 2017-2018 fiscal year.