Opinions

Indiana Supreme Court
In Re: The Carroll County 2013 Tax Sale: Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District v. Richard C. Ray and Patricia A. Alford, et al.
08S04-1402-MI-97
Miscellaneous. The lien foreclosure prohibition of Indiana Code 13-26-14-4, governing the collection of regional sewer district sewer liens, does not apply to collection by tax sale. Here, because the sewer district employed the tax sale method and did not seek collection of the appellees' unpaid sewer bills and penalties through the lien foreclosure method, the lien foreclosure prohibition clause does not apply. The judgment of the trial court removing the Ray and Alford properties from the tax sale list is reversed, and this cause is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Indiana Court of Appeals
S.L. v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1406-JV-377
Juvenile. Affirms adjudication as a delinquent child for committing what would be Class C felony child molesting if committed by an adult.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Emily Herx v. Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend, Inc. and St. Vincent de Paul School
14-3057
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne Division.
Judge Robert Miller Jr.
Civil. Grants Emily Herx’s motion to dismiss for lack of appellate jurisdiction. Rejects the argument from the diocese for a collateral-order review, finding the church’s interest will not be irreparably harmed by waiting for the District Court to issue a final judgment.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. William Boswell
13-3641
Appeals from the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Judge William T. Lawrence.
Criminal. Affirms conviction and 235-month sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of the Armed Career Criminal Act. The admission of evidence that Boswell had a gun tattoo on his neck was not an abuse of discretion because it served to impeach his testimony, and the sentence under the ACCA did not have to be alleged in the indictment.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Crystal Valley Sales Inc., Charles Kline, and Nancy Kline v. Jonathan Anderson, National Sales Company Inc., Rodger Anderson, Camco Manufacturing, and Norm Geible
20A04-1402-PL-83
Civil Plenary. Affirmed trial court’s dismissal of civil conspiracy claims against National Sales Company Inc., Rodger Anderson, Camco Manufacturing Inc. and Norm Geible for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Finds Crystal Valley did not provide sufficient facts to show that the co-defendants engaged in unlawful actions. Rejects Crystal Valley’s argument that its civil conspiracy count is sufficient by itself to claim the co-defendants helped Jonathan breach his contractual or fiduciary duties.

Indiana Court of Appeals
In Re: the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of: M.C. and G.C. (Children in Need of Services), B.J.M. (Mother) and G.W.C. (Father) v. Indiana Department of Child Services (NFP)
02A04-1406-JT-270
Juvenile. Affirms termination of parental rights.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Antonio Smith v. State of Indiana
71A04-1312-CR-609
Criminal. Reverses conviction of Class C felony burglary, finding the state knowingly proffered perjured testimony from a witness who had previously pleaded guilty to the break-in of a Dollar General store that Smith also was charged with. The state had a duty to correct perjured testimony and should have joined in the defense’s request for a mistrial. The court referred the case to the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission with a caution: “We also note that instances of prosecutorial misbehavior continue to come before us on appeal notwithstanding our admonishments.”

Indiana Court of Appeals
Deriq Watters v. State of Indiana
34A02-1403-CR-215
Criminal.  Reverses revocation of probation. The evidence used to revoke Watters’ probation was inadmissible.

Indiana Tax Court
The City of Greenfield and the Greenfield Fire Protection Territory v. The Ind. Dep't of Local Government Finance
49T10-1111-TA-67
Tax.  Reverses reduction by the Department of Local Government Finance of the Greenfield Fire Protection Territory’s general fund levy for the 2012 budget year. Public Law 172-2011, Section 164 contravenes the special legislation provisions set forth in Article 4, Section 23 of the Indiana Constitution.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Sharon Handy v. P.C, Building Materials, Inc., PC Properties, LLC, David A. Stemler, and Karen L. Stemler
22A01-1403-CT-125
Civil tort. Reverses summary judgment in favor of P.C. Building Materials and other defendants on Handy’s negligence claim. There are genuine issues of material fact that remain for a determination by a jury. Remands for further proceedings.

Indiana Court of Appeals
In the Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of E.P. III and E.P. Jr. (Father) v. Indiana Dept. of Child Services
15A04-1403-JT-134
Juvenile. Affirms father’s termination of parental rights. Father did not object to the same judge who presided in his Class B felony child molesting and neglect convictions presiding in his termination of parental rights proceedings, therefore the argument first raised on appeal is waived. There also was sufficient evidence to support the termination of parental rights.
 

Indiana Court of Appeals
In the Matter of the Walter Penner Trust Under Agreement Created by the Grantor, Walter Penner on April 13, 2010, Stanley Penner v. Ronald Penner
45A03-1212-TR-516
Trust. Affirms trial court’s denial of Stanley Penner’s Petition for Trustee’s Accounting, for Order to Sell Real Estate, and Related Matters. Also affirmed trial court’s order that Stanley pay $13,166 in attorney fees to the Penner Trust. Remands for the trial court to determine and order Stanley to pay the appellate attorney fees for the trust. Finds Ronald did not breach the trust. The language of the trust is unambiguous and, therefore, overrides the state statutes that require trusts to provide access to an accounting. 

Indiana Court of Appeals
Timothy W. Paul v. Stone Artisans, Ltd.
29A04-1406-PL-258
Civil plenary. Affirms finding that Paul breached his contract with Stone Artisans. Finds that although the contact did not include measurements, the contract is still enforceable because it is reasonably certain in the terms and conditions. Also rules the contract did comply with the Home Improvement Contract Act despite missing two of the required nine elements.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. Evelyn Rivera Borrero, et al.
13-3430, 13-3468, 13-3516, 13-3517, 13-3559
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division. Judge Jon E. DeGuilio.
Criminal. Reverses convictions of conspiring to violate 8 U.S.C. Section 1324 (a)(1)(A)(iii) and (iv) by shielding unauthorized aliens from detection and encouraging them to live in the United States; and vacates convictions of conspiracy to commit mail or wire fraud. Remands for entry of acquittal on the first count. The government’s legal argument that vehicle tiles and license plates are “property” from the perspective of Indiana is a legal error.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Jeffrey Z. Hayden v. State of Indiana
55A04-1403-CR-116
Criminal. Affirms sufficient evidence to convict Hayden of burglary, theft and residential entry. Remands with instructions to vacate guilty verdict on residential entry as it is a lesser-included offense of burglary and to clarify the entry of judgment as to whether to enter judgment and sentence on the theft conviction or to vacate the jury’s guilty verdict.

All courts are closed Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Christa Allen v. Richard Hinchman, M.D.; Richard Tanner, M.D.; and Jeffery Smith, M.D.
49A02-1311-PL-975
Civil plenary. Reverses summary judgment in favor of the doctors on Allen’s medical malpractice claim. Holds that the standard of care for doctors practicing in prisons is the same as the standard of care for doctors practicing outside of prison.

Indiana Supreme Court
Gregory F. Zoeller, Attorney General and Rick J. Ruble, Commissioner of the In. Dept. of Labor v. James M. Sweeney, David A. Fagan, Charles Severs et. al.
45S00-1309-PL-596
Civil plenary. Reverses finding by Lake Superior Court that I.C. 22-6-6-8 and 22-6-6-10 violate Article I, Section 21 of the Indiana Constitution. Any compulsion to provide services does not constitute a demand made by the state. Justice Rucker concurs in result with separate opinion.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Victor Keeylen v. State of Indiana
49A05-1308-CR-419
Criminal. Grants rehearing and affirms original opinion in all respects. Clarifies point from original opinion and still holds that it is unlikely the detective attempted to mislead the judicial officer into issuing the search warrant.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Erie Insurance Exchange v. Troy Sams and Teresa Sams
44A03-1403-CT-97
Civil tort. Affirms judgment ordering Erie Insurance to pay the Samses $63,924.89 for losses they suffered after a storm damaged their home. The trial court did not err in finding the policy covered the storm damage to the home and the judgment amount was not clearly erroneous.