Opinions

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. Kenneth Sandidge
14-1492
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division, Judge Rudy Lozano.
Criminal. Affirms four-level enhancement for conviction of felon in possession of a firearm because it was in connection with another felony, and denial of three-level reduction for accepting responsibility. Remands to the trial court to vacate conditions of supervised release, which in accord with recent 7th Circuit holdings must be imposed to fit the particular circumstances of the defendant being sentenced.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Stephen F. Smith v. Foegley Landscape, Inc.
71A03-1405-SC-169
Small Claims. Affirms judgment in favor of Foegley Landscape but reverses $1,500 award for attorney fees. Finds the small claims court did not have any documentation to properly evaluate the reasonableness of the fees. Remands to the small claims court to hold a hearing and determine the reasonable attorney fees.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Angelique Lockett and Lanetra Lockett v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana, Inc., and Cathy McGee
45A05-1407-CT-340
Civil tort. Affirms summary judgment in favor of Planned Parenthood on a malpractice claim, but remands to the trial court to correct the order of judgment for defendants to show that McGee, who provided identification to a 17-year-old to obtain an abortion without parental consent, is not dismissed as a defendant.

Indiana Court of Appeals
James Satterfield v. State of Indiana
49A02-1409-CR-659
Criminal. Reverses denial of motion to let bail following Satterfield’s arrest and charge for murder. Although Statterfield forfeited his right to appeal by not filing the notice of appeal within 30 days of the trial court order, the COA concluded his appeal deserves a determination on the merits. Remands for new hearing so Satterfield can present evidence of self-defense.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Demetrius L. Grant, and Vickie O. Grant v. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co.
49A05-1404-MF-139
Mortgage foreclosure. Reverses and remands a grant of summary judgment in favor of Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co., and remands with instructions to dismiss the case. By refiling a suit that had been dismissed under Trial Rule 41(E) for failing to prosecute, the bank violated the rule and the doctrine of res judicata, since dismissal under T.R. 41(E), unless otherwise specified, operates as a judgment on the merits and dismissal with prejudice. 

Indiana Court of Appeals
Nicholas A. Rushlow v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
20A03-1408-CR-310
Criminal. Affirms convictions and sentence for Class A felony attempted murder and Class C felony criminal recklessness.

United States of America v. Christian J. Miller, Frank Jordan, and Joshua N. Bowser
14-1237, 14-1585, and 14-1592
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
Criminal. Affirms judgments against defendants for various criminal charges, including wire fraud, racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Bowser’s case is remanded for further consideration of the term of his supervised release authorizing suspicionless searches.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Berthal O. Williams and Patricia Williams v. The Indiana Rail Road Company
77A04-1311-CC-580
Civil collection. Reverses summary judgment in favor of the Indiana Rail Road Company on the Williamses’ attempt to enforce a 1901 indenture regarding a dam on their property. Concludes the indenture was a covenant running with the land, that the terms set forth in the indenture required IRR to maintain the dam and the water level at a specific depth, and that it contained a covenant, perpetual in nature, that did not cease upon a prior breach. Remands for further proceedings.

Indiana Court of Appeals
In re: Indiana State Fair Litigation: Polet, et al. v. Mid-America Sound, et. al.
49A02-1404-CT-288
Civil tort. Majority reverses trial court order granting summary judgment in favor of the Indiana State Fair Commission on Mid-America Sound’s claim that its contract requires the commission to indemnify it against claims from the 2011 State Fair stage collapse that killed and injured patrons. The majority held the Indiana Tort Claims Act does not apply and there are genuine issues of material fact regarding the validity and enforceability of the indemnification agreement. Remands for trial. Chief Judge Nancy Vaidik dissented and would find the commission has immunity from Mid-America’s claims and that the Tort Claims Act applies.

Indiana Court of Appeals
J.B. v. State of Indiana
53A01-1408-CR-367
Criminal. Reverses denial of a petition for expungement of a conviction of Class A misdemeanor battery. The trial court erred when it denied J.B.’s petition to have records relating to his conviction expunged, citing the dismissal of the conviction after J.B. completed a one-year probation sentence. Holds that an earned dismissal of a conviction does not disqualify someone from expungement of the conviction.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Stuart Reed and Michael Reed v. Michael Cassady
49A05-1405-PL-220
Civil plenary. Affirms order granting Cassady’s motion to enforce a $30,000 sanction as well as a finding that Distinctive Transportation Services, Inc. in contempt and imposition of a $10,000 fine. Reversal is not warranted on the order enforcing the $30,000 sanction and Reeds are jointly and severally liable. Also found reversal is not warranted of the $10,000 sanction.

Indiana Court of Appeals
John Norris v. State of Indiana
34A04-1410-CR-499
Criminal. Remands to the trial court to reduce the sentence following a guilty plea to Class B felony dealing in a controlled substance from 20 years executed to 12 years with eight years executed. The panel concluded the sentence was excessive in light of the offense of selling 10 hyrdocodone pills for a total of $60.
 

Indiana Supreme Court
Kenneth Griesemer v. State of Indiana
49S04-1408-CR-564
Criminal. Affirms conviction of patronizing a prostitute. Finds the undercover detective merely presented Griesemer with an opportunity to patronize a prostitute and there was no inducement and therefore no entrapment. Justices Dickson and Rucker dissent with separate opinion.

Indiana Court of Appeals
David Bisard v. State of Indiana
02A03-1312-CR-492
Criminal. Affirms convictions and sentence for Class B felony operating a vehicle with a BAC of 0.15 or higher causing death and two counts of Class D felony operating a vehicle with a BAC of more than 0.08 percent causing serious bodily injury. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Bisard’s motion for a mistrial based upon issues relating to juror misconduct and the statement by the court that admitting testimony from Bisard regarding his drinking habits would open the door to a subsequent drunken-driving conviction did not amount to denial of due process.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Gordon A. Etzler v. Indiana Department of Revenue
50A04-1406-PL-285
Civil plenary. Reverses summary judgment in favor of the revenue department on Etzler’s complaint for breeder’s award funds. Because the judgment resulting from the department’s Marshall County tax warrant only creates a lien on property “in the county,” I.C. 6-8.1-8-2(e), and because the department did not take measures to establish a lien on property located in any other county, the department’s ability to levy on Dale Dodson’s property was limited to Marshall County. Etzler filed a valid UCC financing statement that perfected his interest in the breeder’s awards.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Mir S. Iqbal v. Tejaskumar M. Patel, et al.
14-1959
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division. Judge James T. Moody.
Civil. Reverses dismissal of Iqbal’s complaint for want of jurisdiction because it is barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine since it challenges state court judgment. Because he seeks damages for activity that (he alleges) predates the state litigation and cause injury independently of it, the Rooker-Feldman doctrine does not block his suit.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Tyrone Shelton v. State of Indiana
71A03-1408-CR-309
Criminal. Affirms convictions of Class A misdemeanor possession of marijuana, Class C felony possession of cocaine, and Class D felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance. The anonymous tip exhibited sufficient indicia of reliability to create reasonable suspicion for the search in accordance with the Fourth Amendment.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Betty Ruth Nelson v. Peggy Holinga Katona, individually and in her official capacity as Lake County Auditor, et al.
13-1652
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division, Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen.
Civil. Affirms judgment entered against Nelson on her lawsuit that she was unlawfully terminated from her job in the auditor’s office because of her political support of Barack Obama. Nelson failed to file any post-verdict motions.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Gordon L. Peak, Jr. v. State of Indiana
27A04-1406-CR-260
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class D felony possession of marijuana in excess of 30 grams. Trial counsel was not deficient for failing to file a motion to suppress the marijuana or for not objecting at trial to the admission of it on the grounds the traffic stop was illegal.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Meridian North Investments LP v. Anoop Sondhi DDS, MS
49A02-1405-PL-311
Civil plenary. Affirms on interlocutory appeal denial of Meridian North’s motion for summary judgment on Sondhi’s negligence claim arising from injuries sustained after a fall caused by slipping on ice as he attempted to enter his office. While Sondhi signed a lease as an officer of a partnership, a landlord exculpatory clause in the lease contract limiting Meridian’s liability did not bind Sondhi personally from pursuing a negligence claim.