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Supreme Court grants 3 transfers

The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer late last week to three cases to rule on issues of double recovery, evidence obtained through search warrants, and emotional distress. The court granted transfer to Ronald Mayes v. Second Injury Fund, No. 93A02-0702-EX-162, in which Mayes appealed the Indiana Worker’s Compensation Board’s denial of his petition for compensation from the Second Injury Fund. Mayes argued his settlement with a third-party tortfeasor shouldn’t bar his recovery as a matter of law. At issue in the appeal…

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Appellate office clears backlog

A new shift in the Indiana Appellate Clerk’s Office has helped eliminate a backlog that created delays for some files getting to the appropriate court and appearing on the docket.Dealing with a backlog that’s been evident for months, Appellate Clerk Kevin Smith started making changes late last year after becoming concerned with the ability to keep up with growing caseloads and intake workloads. The office implemented staff and organizational changes in January that involved hiring new employees, shuffling existing staff, and…

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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.

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Supreme Court record manager retires

After spending 22 years as the Indiana Supreme Court’s director of information management, John Newman has decided it’s time to leave state government to pursue his passion for writing. Newman’s last day is July 25. Newman started his career in state government in 1970, taking oral history interviews for the Indiana State Library. He was later named Indiana’s state archivist, a position he held until 1986 when he became the director of information management for the Supreme Court.As court records manager,…

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COA Judge John T. Sharpnack retires

After 17 years on the appellate bench, Judge John T. Sharpnack is retiring today from the Indiana Court of Appeals.Though he’s stepping down as a full-time jurist, Judge Sharpnack plans to continue his work as a senior judge starting Monday; he reaches the constitutionally mandated retirement age of 75 May 7.A 3 p.m. retirement ceremony was planned to mark his departure from the court, with Chief Judge John Baker presiding. Judge Sharpnack’s family, colleagues, former law clerks, and special guests were…

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Judges disagrees about jury-verdict reversal

The chief judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals is calling a majority’s decision today a “radical act” in reversing a $45,000 jury verdict in favor of a former Butler University football player who was suspended from the school after being accused of raping a female volleyball player.In Susana Henri v. Stephen Curto, No. 49A02-0709-CV-777, Chief Judge John G. Baker disagreed with his two colleagues – authoring Judge Patricia Riley and Judge Margret Robb, who reversed the Marion County jury decision and…

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State bar offers 4-day work week

To help with rising gas prices, the Indiana State Bar Association is offering its employees the option of working just four days a week, although the office will remain open five days a week.About half of the bar association’s 18 employees have taken advantage of the change, allowing them to work four extended days instead of five days with typical business hours. The bar association offices remain open Monday through Friday, and employees stagger their work schedules so the office is…

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COA: Attorney must wait to collect fees

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a trial court’s ruling on when an attorney could receive his compensation under a contingency fee agreement, even though the attorney didn’t submit a transcript of the bench trial detailing the trial court’s findings. In Thomas J. Herr v. Carter Lumber Inc., The Carter Jones Lumber Company, and Brian L. Oaks, No. 79A02-0803-CV-290, before ruling on the issue Thomas Herr was appealing – whether the trial court erred in ordering he receive compensation under a…

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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.

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Life sciences, IP conference set

Protecting investments in intellectual property created at life sciences companies is the focus of the seminar in the 2008-2009 Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration Conference Series in Bloomington Nov. 14. This is the second seminar in the series.

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Judge clears way for $4.5 million settlement

A U.S. District magistrate judge granted a joint motion Sept. 2 to vacate a jury verdict in favor of a man wrongfully imprisoned for rape, allowing a settlement reached between the man and the city of Hammond to be approved.

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Court of Appeals rules against FSSA

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court’s dismissal of an action against the Family and Social Services Administration regarding the denial of Medicaid applications, finding the FSSA relied on an incorrect statute to justify the denial of new evidence supporting a disability claim on the appellate level. In William Curtis, Gary Stewart, and Walter Raines, on behalf of themselves and those similarly situated v. E. Mitchell Roob Jr., as Secretary of Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, and Jeff…

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Justices take riverboat revenue case

The state’s highest court has agreed to hear a case involving $16 million of East Chicago riverboat casino revenues and whether a private business can shield its financial records from the public.The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer Aug. 14 in Steve Carter v. East Chicago Second Century, et al., No. 49A02-0708-CV-722. The case concerns the attorney general’s request last year for a public accounting of money disbursed to Second Century from the state-licensed riverboat, which eventually became Harrah’s.In a March ruling,…

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COA: Priest abuse suit can proceed

The Indiana Court of Appeals this week declined to take an interlocutory appeal on a case accusing the Archdiocese of Indianapolis of covering up an ex-priest’s history of sexual abuse.In denying the case of Archdiocese of Indianapolis, et al. v. John Doe NM, 49A05-0802-CV-00075, the court has given its go ahead for the Marion County civil suit to proceed to trial; it would be the first of 13 against the archdiocese to survive summary judgment. The suit was brought by a…

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High court vies for international tech award

The Indiana Supreme Court is one of 13 international finalists being recognized for recent technology efforts, which include the case management system being phased in statewide to connect all county courts.

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Court orders suit against Papa John’s to trial

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a grant of summary judgment in favor of a national pizza chain and its employee, finding there were genuine issues of fact as to whether the employee’s statement to police was protected by privilege. In Thomas Williams and Sanford Kelsey v. Kelly Eugene Tharp and Papa John’s U.S.A. Inc., No. 29A02-0707-CV-625, Thomas Williams and Sanford Kelsey appealed the trial court grant of summary judgment in favor of Papa John’s on their claims for defamation, false imprisonment,…

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Transfer granted to confrontation issue

The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer to five cases Aug. 14, including a case that asks whether a defendant has the right to confront the lab technician who prepared a certificate of analysis. The high court granted transfer to Richard Pendergrass v. State of Indiana, No. 71A03-0712-CR-588, in which the Indiana Court of Appeals in July affirmed Richard Pendergrass’ convictions of child molesting. The appellate court ruled Pendergrass’ Sixth Amendment right to confrontation wasn’t violated with the admittance of a certificate of analysis…

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