Opinions

Indiana Court of Appeals
Louis Bell v. State of Indiana
49A05-1606-CR-1390
Criminal. Affirms Louis Bell’s convictions of Level 4 felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, Level 5 felony possession of a narcotic drug, Level 5 felony possession of cocaine, Class B misdemeanor possession of marijuana and Class C misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia. Finds Officer Justin Gough had reasonable suspicion to stop Bell due to the nighttime traffic violation created by the lack of lights on the bicycle. Also finds that once stopped, neither Bell’s Fourth Amendment nor Article 1, Section 11 rights were violated by the pat-down search. Finally, finds the Marion Superior Court did not abuse its discretion in the admission of evidence. Judge Margaret Robb dissents with separate opinion.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Gary Jet Center, Inc. v. AFCO AvPorts Management LLC, et al.
16-1233
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division. Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen.
Civil. Affirms the dismissal of Gary Jet Center Inc.’s claim alleging violation of the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Finds legislative power was not used to deny Gary Jet’s remedy for breach of a 2007 lease.

Indiana Court of Appeals
James E. Saylor v. State of Indiana
39A01-1701-MI-90
Miscellaneous. Affirms the Jefferson Circuit Court’s order granting the state’s motion for judgment on the pleadings. Finds the trial court did not err in ruling on state’s Rule 12(C) motion without an evidentiary hearing. Also finds there is no error in the state’s order granting the motion for judgment on the pleadings. Finally, finds it is clear from the face of James E. Saylor’s complaint that under no circumstances could the relief he sought be granted.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Jennifer R. Wilson-Trattner v. Robert Campbell, et al.
16-2509
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Judge Larry J. McKinney.
Civil. Affirms the grant of summary judgment to the defendants on Jennifer R. Wilson-Trattner’s substantive due process, failure to train and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims, based on allegations that the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department improperly responded to her complaints of domestic abuse. Finds the responding officers’ conduct did not embolden Scott Roeger to continue abusing Wilson-Trattner. Also finds Wilson-Trattner did not provide sufficient evidence to defeat the award of summary judgment on her failure to train and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims.

 

Indiana Court of Appeals
Kyle DeHart v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
43A03-1611-CR-2594
Criminal. Affirms Kyle DeHart’s convictions of two counts of murder and obstruction of justice. Finds the state presented sufficient evidence to support DeHart’s convictions. Also finds the Kosciusko Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion by denying DeHart’s motion for a separate trial or in admitting evidence regarding Brandon Woody’s rap performance with a handgun. Finally, finds the trial court did not commit reversible error in admitting evidence regarding rap songs.

Indiana Court of Appeals
AAA Federal Credit Union v. Indiana Department of Transportation
71A03-1609-PL-2091
Civil plenary. Affirms the St. Joseph Superior Court’s conclusion that AAA Federal Credit Union did not have a property interest in the free flow of traffic from U.S. 31. Finds the trial court did not err.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. Jason Perry
16-1535
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Evansville Division.
Judge Richard L. Young.
Criminal. Affirms the enhancement of Jason Perry’s sentence to 360 months’ imprisonment for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition after the district court found three of his prior felonies qualified as violent felonies under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Finds Perry has not identified cases in which an Indiana court has affirmed a burglary conviction for acts inconsistent with the generic offense of burglary. Also finds Perry’s conduct supports his two separate counts.

Indiana Court of Appeals
401 Public Safety and Lifeline Data Centers, LLC v. David Ray and the Committee to Elect David Ray
49A02-1609-PL-2132
Civil plenary. Affirms the Marion Superior Court’s order dismissing 401 Public Safety and Lifeline Data Centers LLC’s defamation complaint against David Ray and the Committee to Elect David Ray based on the Anti-SLAAP Statute. Finds the speech contained in a flyer constitutes a matter of public interest. Also finds Ray and the committee have established as a matter of law that they acted in good faith, without malice and with a reasonable basis in law and fact. Judge Paul Mathias concurs and dissent in part with separate opinion.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Ryan Martin v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
75A04-1609-CR-2098
Criminal. Affirms Ryan Martin’s conviction of Level 5 felony dealing in meth. Finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting testimony indicating that he was on probation and that the rules of probation provided that he would waive his Fourth Amendment right and submit his place of residence to a reasonable search.

Indiana Supreme Court
Jordan Jacobs v. State of Indiana
49S02-1706-CR-438
Criminal. Reverses Jordan Jacobs’ conviction of Class A misdemeanor possession of a handgun without a license. Finds the search of Jacobs by police was constitutionally impermissible. Remands for further proceedings.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Joseph Richardson v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
49A04-1609-CR-2196
Criminal. Affirms Joseph Richardson’s two convictions of felony child molesting, finding sufficient evidence and that the convictions do not violate the continuing crime doctrine.

Indiana Court of Appeals
In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of: M.L. v. Eskenazi Health/Midtown Mental Health CMHC
49A02-1612-MH-2823
Mental health.  Majority affirms in part, reverses in part and remands with instructions the trial court’s grant of Eskenazi’s request for temporary commitment. A special condition prohibiting M.L. from consuming alcohol or drugs not prescribed by a doctor was not sufficiently supported by the evidence. The trial court is instructed to strike the special condition from the order of commitment. Judge Cale Bradford dissents and would affirm the trial court. Denies Eskenazi’s “remarkable” request for appellate attorney fees from the Marion County Public Defender Agency.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Travis L. Woodruff v. State of Indiana
32A01-1612-CR-2751
Criminal. Affirms the sentencing enhancements of 15 years for being a habitual offender and 10 years for using a firearm. Finds the double enhancements were not applied to the same proof of an “uninterrupted transaction.”

Indiana Court of Appeals
Troy Burgh v. State of Indiana
71A03-1611-CR-2669
Criminal. Affirms Troy Burgh’s conviction for battery as a Level 5 felony. Finds as a matter of first impression that when the paved surface of a parking lot is used in a manner that makes the surface readily capable of causing serious bodily injury, a reasonable trier of fact may conclude the battery was “committed with a deadly weapon.”

Indiana Supreme Court
Reginald Harris v. State of Indiana
45S03-1703-CR-172
Criminal. Affirms Reginald Harris’ convictions for battery against a public safety official and resisting law enforcement. Finds the Lake Superior Court was within its discretion to admit Summer Snow’s gun as evidence. Also finds that although the gun was not relevant to Harris’ crimes, he failed to seek a separate trial or a limiting instruction, thus waiving any argument that the gun’s admission denied him a fair trial.

Indiana Court of Appeals
James A. Hart v. State of Indiana
59A01-1607-CR-1655
Criminal. Reverses James Hart’s conviction of Class A misdemeanor invasion of privacy. Finds the Orange Superior Court did not properly advise Hart of the dangers of representing himself and, thus, he did not knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waive his right to counsel verbally or through his conduct. Remands for a new trial.

Indiana Supreme Court
William McNeal v. State of Indiana
49S05-1706-CR-405
Criminal. Grants transfer and vacates the Court of Appeals’ discussion in its opinion of the community caretaking function, specifically the final sentence of Section 1, the entirety of Section 1.1, the first phrase of Section 1.2 and the second sentence of the paragraph numbered 25. Summarily affirms the remainder of the Court of Appeals’ opinion, including the rest of Section 1.2 and Section 2.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Daviess-Martin County Joint Parks and Recreation Department, Daviess County Indiana, and Daviess County Health Department v. The Estate of Waylon W. Abel by John Abel, Personal Representative, et al.
19A04-1607-CT-1563
Civil tort. Reverses the denial of the Daviess-Martin Joint County Parks & Recreation Department, Daviess County, Indiana, and the Daviess County Health Department’s motions for summary judgment regarding a negligence claim by the estate of Waylon Abel, and John Abel on behalf of the dependent children of Waylon Abel. Finds the county, parks board and health department did not have a duty to Waylon Abel.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Jack Allen Delauter v. Angela Lee Delauter (mem. dec.)
85A02-1611-DR-2644
Domestic relation. Affirms and reverses in part the Wabash Superior Court’s findings of fact and judgment dissolving Jack Allen Delauter’s marriage to Angela Lee Delauter. Finds the trial court’s conclusion the North Central Respiratory Inc. property had a value of $62,000 as a marital asset contradicts the finding that Jack Delauter’s one-half share was worth $31,000.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Eric Horton v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
49A02-1702-CR-291
Criminal. Affirms Eric Horton’s sentence to two consecutive terms of 60 years for two murder convictions. Finds Horton’s sentence is not inappropriate.