Court of Appeals of Indiana
Justin Mercer v. Maribel Vega-Jimenez (mem. dec.)
23A-DC-993
Domestic relations with children. Affirms the Newton Superior Court’s order granting Maribel Vega-Jimenez’s request to modify parenting time. Finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion because it implicitly found modification was in the children’s best interests when it indicated Vega-Jimenez met her burden to modify the parenting time schedule.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Lake Imaging LLC v. Franciscan Alliance Inc. f/d/b/a Saint Margaret Mercy Health Care Centers
22A-CT-2783
Civil tort. Affirms the Johnson Superior Court’s summary judgment on remand in favor of Franciscan Alliance Inc. f/d/b/a Saint Margaret Mercy Health Care Centers on its claim from Lake Imaging’s contract to provide radiology services. Finds the trial court properly declined to apply the Professional Services Statute’s two-year statute of limitations period and properly entered summary judgment in favor of Franciscan on its indemnification claim.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Lacey Ann Murphy v. William Cook
23A-SC-1614
Small claims. Reverses the denial of Lacey Ann Murphy’s Motion to Set Aside Body Attachment. Finds the requirements of Indiana Trial Rule 64(A) were not satisfied and the body attachment was expired. Remands with instructions to grant Murphy’s motion.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Gerard M. Dierckman v. Sandra E. Dierckman
22A-DN-2801
Domestic relations, no children. Affirms the final dissolution order as it relates to the marital property. Finds the Decatur Circuit Court’s findings challenged by husband Gerard M. Dierckman are supported by the evidence and/or are not contrary to law. Also finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion by valuing the farm and its income as of the end of 2020/beginning of 2021, nor did it err in valuing the farm inventory, accounts receivable and marital debt as of the date of the dissolution petition in December 2019. Finally, finds the trial court acted within its discretion when it decreased wife Sandra E. Dierckman’s equalization payment by the amount she paid Gerard for her personal expenses while the dissolution was pending.
Courts of Appeals of Indiana
Aaron Isby v. Richard Brown and Robert Carter Jr. (mem. dec.)
23A-MI-76
Miscellaneous. Affirms the denial of Aaron Isby’s petition for writ of habeas corpus. Finds Isby is not entitled to relief for discovery issues because he failed to avail himself of procedures set forth in trial rules and did not provide cogent reasoning supporting a discovery-related due process claim. Also finds Isby did not demonstrate that the Miami Circuit Court erred in denying the habeas petition.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Cameron O’Brien Wade v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
23A-CR-274
Criminal. Affirms Cameron O’Brien Wade’s convictions of Level 5 felony domestic battery, Level 6 felony criminal confinement, Class A misdemeanor interference with the reporting of a crime and Class B misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Finds the Noble Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion by admitting evidence pursuant to a stipulation.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
BMI Properties, LLC v. Daewoong, LLC; Tabor/Bruce Architecture & Design, Inc.; Building Associates, Inc.; and Edwards Masonry, Inc.
23A-PL-988
Civil plenary. Reverses the Monroe Circuit Court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of Tabor/Bruce Architecture & Design Inc., Building Associates Inc. and Edwards Masonry Inc. Finds that neither the acceptance rule nor the economic loss rule entitles the defendants to summary judgment. Remands to the trial court for further proceedings.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
In the Matter of the Paternity of A.J.L.B., a Minor by his next friend Grisel Bonilla Lemus v. Jaime Lazo Alvarenga
23A-JP-1436
Juvenile paternity. Reverses the denial of mother Grisel Bonilla Lemus’ motions to correct error and to amend the pleadings to conform to the evidence seeking to amend the paternity petition to add a request for the findings required for special immigrant juvenile status. Finds the requested SIJ findings were before the Bartholomew Superior Court, so the court abused its discretion by denying the motion to correct error and the motion to amend the pleadings. Remands with instructions to grant the motions, allow amendment of the petition and amend the judgment to include the requested findings.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Charles Jennings v. Jessica A. Smiley and Progressive Southeastern Insurance Company
23A-CT-303
Civil tort. Affirms the jury verdict finding Charles Jennings 99% at fault and Jessica Smiley 10% at fault after Smiley struck Jennings with her car while he was crossing the street, and the subsequent judgment in favor of Smiley. Finds the Hamilton Superior Court did not abuse its discretion in denying Jennings’ motion to compel.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Thomas Owens v. State of Indiana
23A-CR-985
Criminal. Affirms Thomas Owen’s conviction of Level 5 felony battery by means of a deadly weapon. Finds the Marion Superior Court didn’t err in denying Owen’s motion to supplement the record. Also finds the trial court properly instructed the jury on elements of the charge and the state presented sufficient evidence of the victim’s identity and the use of a deadly weapon.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Mark A. Goodlett v. Town of Clarksville and Town of Clarksville Fire Department (mem. dec.)
23A-CT-460
Civil tort. Affirms the Town of Clarksville Board of Police and Fire Commissioners’ decision to terminate Mark A. Goodlett. Finds the board properly exercised its authority under Indiana Code § 36-8-3-4 and the departments general orders, so its decision to terminate Goodlett for neglect of duty, immoral conduct, conduct unbecoming an officer, violations of department rules and breaches of discipline was not arbitrary and capricious and did not otherwise violate Goodlett’s due process rights.
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Heather Tutwiler v. Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security
22-2808
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne Division. Senior Judge William C. Lee.
Civil. Affirms the district court’s order affirming the denial of benefits for Heather Tutwiler. Finds the administrative law judge’s decision was supported by substantial evidence and was not otherwise contrary to law.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
De’Torio Ty Lurentus Berneard Fleming v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
22A-CR-2741
Criminal. Affirms De’Torio Ty Lurentus Berneard Fleming’s convictions of felony murder and Level 3 felony armed robbery and his aggregate 64-year sentence. Finds the Madison Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion when it admitted a photograph of Fleming’s hands taken during the trial into evidence. Also finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it sentenced Fleming.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Joseph Marcel Odom v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
23A-CR-293
Criminal. Affirms Joseph Marcel Odom’s convictions for Level 2 felony conspiracy to commit dealing in methamphetamine, Level 6 felony obstruction of justice and Class B misdemeanor false informing and his sentence of 28 years. Finds Odom has failed to establish that his sentence is inappropriate in light of his demonstrably poor character. Also finds no abuse of discretion from the Tippecanoe Circuit Court in instructing the jury on conspiracy charge and that his obstruction conviction was supported by sufficient evidence.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Charles Andrew Wenner v. Gehrid Hensley, et al.
23A-SC-973
Small claims. Affirms the small claims judgment in Monroe Circuit Court issued against landlord Charles Andrew Wenner and in favor of tenants Hayen Johnson, Gehrid Hensley and Quinn Kaise. Remands for a determination of appellate attorney fees to be awarded to tenants. Finds Wenner’s procedural bad faith in his appeal rises to the level of egregiousness for which appellate attorney fees are warranted.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Austin J. Hollifield v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
23A-CR-1014
Criminal. Affirms Austin Hollifield’s conviction of Level 4 felony possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, his habitual offender enhancement and his 20-year enhanced sentence. Finds the admission of a video was not error. Also finds Hollifield’s sentence is not inappropriate.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Ji J. Lian v. Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (mem. dec.)
22A-OV-2758
Ordinance violation. Affirms the orders requiring Ji Jing Lian to remedy the various health code violations on the interior and exterior portions of her property by a certain date and, in the event she did not comply, ordering the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County and/or its contractors to vacate the premises and clean up the exterior, with a resulting lien for the costs incurred. Finds Lian did not raise her Fourth Amendment argument in the Marion Superior Court, so she cannot pursue it on appeal.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
A.W. v. State of Indiana
23A-JV-1609
Juvenile. Affirms the denial of A.W.’s motion for relief from judgment pursuant to Indiana Trial Rules 60(B)(6) and (8) without an evidentiary hearing. Finds the Elkhart Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion and was not required to conduct an evidentiary hearing.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Anonymous Provider 2 v. Estate of Ryan K. Askew, by Fornetta Askew, Personal Representative
23A-CT-992
Civil tort. Dismisses Anonymous Provider 2’s appeal of the denial of his motion to dismiss under Indiana Trial Rule 12(B)(1). Finds Anonymous Provider 2 is appealing from an interlocutory order, but he does not assert the right to do so under Appellate Rule 14(A), there is no indication he sought certification from the Lake Superior Court or permission from the Court of Appeals to file a discretionary interlocutory appeal, and he has not stated a statutory right to appeal. Remands for further proceedings.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Forty Acre Cooperative and Angela Dawson v. Rita Delliquadri; Larry Gambles; Milton Louis; Deborah L. McCullough; Telisa Sims, individually and in her capacity as the personal representative of the estate of Alton Sims, Sr.; and Brenda J. Thomspon (mem. dec.)
23A-PL-1119
Civil plenary. Affirms the denial of the appellants’ motion for relief from judgment, filed after the Lake Superior Court entered default judgment against them. Finds the trial court did not err.