The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer May 14 to a case involving the means for judicial review of final agency actions.

In Indiana Family and Social Services Administration v. Alice V. Meyer, now deceased, Dianne M. Rynn, Trustee of the Alice V. Meyer Trust Dated Dec. 19, 2001, No. 69A01-0807-CV-358, the trial court determined Alice Meyer's trust didn't fail to timely file the agency record after Meyer's Medicaid benefits were denied. The trial court denied the Family and Social Services Administration's motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction for failing to timely file the agency record.

In the appeal, the Indiana Court of Appeals examined Indiana Code Section 4-21.5-5-13 and ruled the phrase "cause for dismissal" means the General Assembly intended to empower, but not require, a trial court to dismiss an appeal that doesn't follow statute requirements. The appellate court concluded the statute doesn't speak to subject matter jurisdiction, doesn't mandate automatic dismissal for procedural error, and must be read to confer the trial court discretion in some circumstances. Judge Paul Mathias dissented, writing the timely and complete filing of the agency record is a condition precedent to the acquisition of jurisdiction to consider a petition for judicial review.