Opinions

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Bruce Carneil Webster v. Charles A. Daniels
14-1049
Judge William T. Lawrence, District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Terre Haute Division.
Criminal. In a 6-5 decision, En banc review reverses 7th Circuit panel judgment that new evidence can never satisfy the habeas corpus standard of 28 U.S.C. § 2255(e). Remands for proceedings allowing Webster to present new evidence that may demonstrate categorical and constitutional ineligibility for the death penalty. Circuit Judge Frank Easterbrook dissented, arguing Webster’s new evidence did not meet the “clear and convincing” language required for relief. Easterbrook was joined in dissent by Circuit Judges William J. Bauer, Michael S. Kanne, Diane S. Sykes and John Tinder.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Bruce Angelo Evans v. State of Indiana
48A02-1407-CR-496
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class B felony dealing in a narcotic drug and pleading to being a habitual substance offender. Evans waived his challenge regarding the instruction on jury unanimity by failing to object to the jury instruction or offer one of his own, and any error does not rise to the level of fundamental error. Affirms admission into evidence a large amount of cash found on Evans when he was searched by law enforcement officers after the controlled drug buy.

 Indiana Supreme Court
James Bogner v. Teresa Bogner
45S04-1501-DR-23
Domestic relation. Affirms modification of child support that deviated from what was found under the child support guidelines of $59 a week paid by the father to $105 per week paid by the father, in addition to order that mother could claim the child each year on her taxes. The trial court did not err in determining that given the parents’ circumstances, the guideline amount was unjust and unreasonable. Finds father waived his challenge to the form of the summary proceeding when he failed to make a contemporaneous objection to that procedure. 

Indiana Court of Appeals
Dawn Warrick and Nathan Parrish v. Steve and Mitzi Stewart
92A03-1407-CC-257
Civil collection. Affirms grant of Steve Stewart’s motion to set aside the jury’s verdict and orders a new trial on his negligence claim against the Parrishes. The trial court did not abuse its discretion when it weighed the evidence presented regarding Stewart’s speed and concluding he was not speeding. There was also ample evidence represented that the Warricks negligently failed to restrain the dog that Stewart hit, which caused his accident.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Adegoke Adetokunbo aka Robert Adesanoye, and Grace Itaniyi v. State of Indiana
49A02-1407-CR-511
Criminal. Affirms Adetokunbo’s convictions of Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement and Class B misdemeanor battery, and affirms Itaniyi’s convictions of Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement and Class B misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Reverses Itaniyi’s conviction of Class B misdemeanor battery based on insufficient evidence and remands with instructions to vacate that conviction.

Tax. Affirms the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance did not err in denying the Clark County Board of Commissioners’ request to increase the county’s Cumulative Capital Development Fund tax rate for the 2012 budget year. The DLGF’s consideration of the board’s purpose for requesting an increase to the CCDF’s tax rate was proper, and neither I.C. 6-1.1-41 nor 36-9-14.5-2 authorize an increase to the CCDF tax rate for the purposes Clark County intended.

J.B. v. State of Indiana 

Juvenile. Affirms determination that J.B. committed what would be Class A misdemeanor dangerous possession of a firearm if committed by an adult. There were no federal or state constitutional violations by admitting evidence obtained during J.B.’s encounter with a police officer.  

Indiana Court of Appeals
William I. Babchuk, M.D., P.C., d/b/a Babchuk Imaging, P.C., and William I. Babchuk v. Indiana University Health Tipton Hospital, Inc., d/b/a Indiana University Health Tipton Hospital
80A04-1409-PL-447
Civil plenary. Reverses order dismissing Babchuk’s complaint of breach of contract for failure to prosecute under Trial Rule 41(E).  While the trial court would have had discretion to dismiss Babchuk’s case for failure to prosecute had a timely motion been filed, the hospital did not file its motion to dismiss before Babchuk had resumed prosecution of his case. Remands for further proceedings.

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.