Articles

Opinions Sept. 16, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Bradley Starr by Next Friend Heather Starr-Haller and Heather Starr-Haller v. State Farm Automobile Insurance Company and the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
32A05-1605-PL-976
Civil plenary. Affirms summary judgment for State Farm on Starr-Haller’s complaint seeking coverage for an auto accident. State Farm did not waive its right to deny Starr-Haller the coverage she now claims for an accident that occurred after her coverage had lapsed.

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Opinions Sept. 15, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Mindy M. Cline v. State of Indiana
38A04-1512-XP-2221
Expungement petition. Reverses and remands denial of Mindy Cline’s petition for expungement, finding trial court abused its discretion in denying her petition. Judge Michael Barnes dissents with separate opinion.

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Opinions Sept. 14, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Meridian Health Services Corporation v. Thomas Martin Bell

71A04-1511-DR-2005
Domestic relation. Affirms trial court’s order finding Meridian Health Services Corporation in contempt of court for failure to comply with a subpoena duces tecum and appear at a deposition and awarding attorney fees as a sanction. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in holding Meridian in contempt.

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Opinions Sept. 13, 2016

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
William Hinesley, III v. Wendy Knight, superintendent, Correctional Industrial Facility

15-2122
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Jane E. Magnus?Stinson, Judge.
Civil. Affirms district court’s decision to deny William Hinesley’s petition for writ of habeas corpus. Finds that Hinesley’s counsel was not ineffective in a prejudicial manner.

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Opinions Sept. 9, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Julie R. Waterfield v. Richard D. Waterfield
92A03-1511-PL-1968
Civil plenary. Affirms trial court’s order denying Julie R. Waterford’s request to set aside her divorce decree entered in 1997 based on the allegation of fraud committed by Richard D. Waterfield while negotiating a settlement leading to the dissolution of the marriage. Finds that Julie Waterfield failed to establish that Richard Waterfield committed fraud. Finds that Richard Waterfield is entitled to an award of attorney fees.

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Opinions Sept. 8, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Thomas A. Carpenter, et al. v. The Cincinnati Specialty Underwriters Insurance Company
33A01-1602-CT-265
Civil tort. Affirms summary judgment and declaratory judgment in favor of Cincinnati Specialty. It had no obligation to make payments under a consent judgment in which Carpenter and Cincinnati’s insured, Lovell’s Lounge, agreed Carpenter’s injuries were caused by Lovell’s Lounge’s negligence or that Lovell’s was vicariously liable for injuries Carpenter sustained when he was punched in the jaw by patron Jerry Dean Johnson. Finds the consent judgment was obtained by bad faith or collusion, collateral estoppel does not apply, and CSU is not bound by the consent judgment.

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Opinions Sept. 6, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Brian W. Ellison v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
92A05-1604-CR-964
Criminal. Affirms Ellison’s designation as a credit-restricted felon. Finds sufficient evidence to support the trial court’s determination that Ellison molested A.E. on or after July 1, 2008, the effective date of the credit-restricted felon statute.

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Opinions Sept. 1, 2016

Indiana Supreme Court
In the Matter of: Harold E. Bean
49S00-1601-DI-2
Discipline. Disbars Bean for engaging in attorney misconduct while the elected clerk-treasurer of the town of Warren Park. He pleaded guilty to theft and official misconduct as Class D felonies after writing dozens of checks to himself from town funds.

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Opinions Aug. 29, 2016

Indiana Supreme Court
Michael Day v. State of Indiana
24S05-1606-CR-358
Criminal. Affirms Day’s disorderly conduct conviction. Concludes that the “fighting” subsection of the disorderly conduct statute does not contain a public disturbance element but does require a physical altercation. His intentional spitting provided sufficient evidence of a physical altercation.

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Opinions Aug. 26, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Dorothy Williams v. State of Indiana
46A03-1511-CR-1913
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class B misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Finds the state’s impairment of Williams’ speech was constitutional because it was rational and her speech was politically ambiguous for purposes of an Article I, Section 9 affirmative defense.

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Opinions Aug. 24, 2016

Indiana Court of Appeals
Christopher Compton v. State of Indiana
82A01-1511-CR-1997
Criminal. Affirms conviction of three counts of felony murder and the finding that Compton is a habitual offender. The trial court did not deprive Compton of due process when it allowed the media to tweet live updates of his trial from the courtroom, nor did it err in admitting evidence of Compton’s incriminatory statements. Calls for guidance on social media use during criminal trials.

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Opinions Aug. 23, 2016

Indiana Supreme Court
Kristy Burnell v. State of Indiana
29S02-1512-CR-707
Criminal. Affirms trial court decision to not terminate license suspension. Holds a refusal to submit to a chemical test occurs when the conduct of the motorist is such that a reasonable person in the officer’s position would be justified in believing the motorist was capable of refusal and manifested an unwillingness to submit to the test. Burnell has the burden of demonstrating the evidence shows her license suspension by the BMV should be overturned, and she did not carry this burden.

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