Opinions

7th Circuit Court of Appeals

United
States of America v. Adam Williams
09-3174
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division, Judge James T. Moody.
Criminal. Affirms convictions of and sentence for illegal possession of a firearm as a felon and various drug distribution
offenses. Williams couldn’t satisfy his burden under either prong of the Strickland standard, so the District
Court’s refusal to investigate further his perceived problems with his attorney is a harmless abuse of discretion. Because
Williams was convicted of a violent felony, his claim that Section 922(g)(1) unconstitutionally infringes on his right to
possess a firearm is without merit.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Wells Fargo Insurance v. Bruce A. Land
48A02-0911-CV-1099
Civil. Affirms Land is entitled to commission on all of his 2005 crop-year policies. By Feb. 2, 2006, the date of Land’s
resignation, the sales had been consummated, and his right to the 2005 crop-year commissions had fully accrued, subject only
to receipt of the premium payments.

Indiana Court of Appeals
F.B.
Boushehry v. City of Indianapolis, et al.
49A05-1002-PL-55
Civil. Affirms trial court’s grant of summary judgment in the city’s favor because Boushehry’s claim did
not meet the Indiana Tort Claims Act notice requirement.

Indiana Court of Appeals
David
Hopper v. State of Indiana (NFP)
31A01-1003-PC-89
Post conviction. Affirms denial of petition for post-conviction relief.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United
States of America v. Anthony L. Vaughn
09-3789
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, Terre Haute Division, Judge Larry J. McKinney.
Criminal. Affirms 180-month sentence after pleading guilty to committing aggravated assault on a federal officer. The District
Court reasonably explained why the sentence that was outside the guidelines range was appropriate.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Louis
and Karen Metro Family LLC, et al. v. Lawrenceburg Conservancy District, et al.
09-2418, -2482
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, New Albany Division, Magistrate Judge William G. Hussman.
Civil. Affirms the City of Lawrenceburg and the Lawrenceburg Conservancy District breached their contract with the Metros
to convey land to the Metros based on the option contract their company held. Vacates decision to reform the contract to change
the date by which the option could be exercised from 18 months after completion of the project to 18 months after the date
of the District Court opinion. Remands for further proceedings to calculate damages and to assess costs against the district
and city.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United
States of America v. Jamarkus Gorman
09-3010
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
Criminal. Affirms conviction of perjury after testifying falsely before a grand jury. There is ample evidence to support
the finding Gorman perjured himself with regard to the possession of a Bentley. The evidence was properly admitted, albeit
as direct evidence rather than inextricable intertwinement evidence, and its probative value was not substantially outweighed
by any risk of unfair prejudice. 

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Marion
County Coroner’s Office v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and John Linehan
09-3595
Petition for review of an order of the EEOC. Upholds the EEOC determination that Coroner Ackles’ stated reason for
taking action against Linehan was pretextual and that the EEOC had jurisdiction over Linehan’s retaliation claim.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United
States of America v. Mark Ciesiolka
09-2787
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division, Judge Rudy Lozano.
Criminal. Reverses conviction of knowingly attempting to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual
activity. Because the District Court failed to explain its ruling that the four-factor test for introducing evidence of prior
acts under Rule 404(b) was satisfied, and since the evidence introduced in unconstrained fashion is perhaps excessively prejudicial
in light of its probative value, reverses and remands for a new trial. Judge Ripple dissents.

Indiana Court of Appeals
David
K. Murphy v. State of Indiana
18A02-1002-CR-213
Criminal. Reverses and remands trial court’s decision denying Murphy educational credit time. Murphy contended the
trial court is the proper authority to determine whether to grant educational credit time for receiving his general educational
development diploma prior to sentencing. The Court of Appeals agreed.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Daniel
A. Donald v. State of Indiana
23A04-0912-CR-685
Criminal. Reverses and remands trial court’s denial of Donald’s request for a competency evaluation prior to
his probation revocation hearing. Donald contended he was entitled to a competency evaluation pursuant to Indiana statute
and the Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution. The Court of Appeals disagreed with Donald’s statutory
argument, but agreed the Due Process Clause may warrant a competency evaluation prior to a probation revocation hearing.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Adoption
of A.M.; M.M. v. M.M. & A.C.
53A05-1002-AD-71
Adoption. Reverses denial of grandfather M.M.’s uncontested petition to adopt his biological granddaughter A.M. Based
upon the reasoning in K.S.P., the idea that the best interests of the child is the primary concern in an adoption
proceeding, the purposes of the adoption statutes as stated by the legislature, and the trial court’s initial determination
that adoption was in the best interests of A.M., preventing the adoption in this specific case on the basis of Ind. Code Section
31-19-15-1 and Ind. Code Section 31-19-15-2 would cause an absurd result not intended by the legislature. Remands for further
proceedings. Judge Najam dissents.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Brenda
Chaney v. Plainfield Healthcare Center
09-3661
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
Civil. Reverses the District Court’s order of summary judgment in favor of Plainfield Healthcare Center. Finds that
Plainfield’s racial preference policy for patients violates Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. That policy, along
with other incidents that occurred before Plainfield fired Chaney, contributed to a hostile work environment, and should be
considered in determining whether Chaney was fired because of her race.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Isaac
Florian and Jeffrey Florian, as limited guardian of Isaac, an adult. v. GATX Rail Corporation
91A04-1002-PL-77
Civil plenary. Affirms summary judgment in favor of GATX Rail Corp. in Issac Florian’s negligence claim after he drove
into a GATX tank car that didn’t have retro-reflective sheeting. GATX was in compliance with either retro-reflective
implementation schedule even though the train car in question didn’t have sheeting yet. Florian’s common-law negligence
claim is preempted by federal regulations set forth in 49.C.F.R. part 224.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Tom
George, et al. v. National Collegiate Athletic Association
09-3667
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, Judge William T. Lawrence.
Civil. Reverses dismissal of the plaintiffs’ entire second amendment complaint alleging the NCAA’s ticket-allocation
process is an illegal lottery.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Crisis
Connection, Inc. v. Ronald Keith Fromme
19A05-0910-CR-602
Criminal. Affirms order Crisis Connections produce records to the court for an in camera review. An in camera review properly
balances Fromme’s constitutional rights and the victims’ interest in privacy.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Eastern Alliance Insurance Group, Chubb Insurance Group, and Total Interior Systems America, LLC v. Elizabeth Howell
93A02-0912-EX-1287
Civil. Reverses penalties assessed against Eastern Alliance by the Full Worker’s Compensation Board due to a lack of diligence. The board’s factual findings demonstrate that Eastern Alliance reasonably investigated the claim and communicated with the parties, and afterwards it reasonably determined that it was not liable for the claim. Vacates penalties assessed against the company and remands that the board determine and enter an order regarding whether Chubb Insurance should be held responsible for the entirety of the penalty and attorneys’ fees awarded for its lack of diligence.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Michael
Akens v. State of Indiana
49A05-0912-CR-687
Criminal. Affirms sentence imposed following guilty plea to child molesting. The trial court’s statement that Akens
could appeal his sentence wasn’t made until after the court had accepted the plea agreement and entered Akens’
sentence. The agreement included his express waiver of his right to appeal his sentence.

The Indiana Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.