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Because his guilty plea included a fixed sentence, a man who pleaded guilty to a drunken-driving charge is precluded from challenging his sentence by direct appeal, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled. This also prevents him from challenging his sentence under Ind. Post-Conviction Rule 2.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Jesse Brown v. State of Indiana Department of Child Services (NFP)
41A01-1209-PL-404
Civil plenary. Reverses denial of DCS’ motion to dismiss Brown’s petition for judicial review and order that directed the agency to reimburse Brown $1,200 for the cost of preparing an agency record.
In the Matter of S.D.; J.B. v. The Indiana Department of Child Services (NFP)
49A05-1209-JC-488
Juvenile. Affirms determination S.D. is a child in need of services and the disposition ordered by the court.
B.B. v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1210-JV-852
Juvenile. Affirms adjudication that B.B. committed what would be Class B misdemeanor disorderly conduct if committed by an adult.
Philip R. Davis v. City of Fort Wayne (NFP)
02A03-1209-PL-385
Civil plenary. Affirms dismissal of Davis’ complaints for judicial review.
Leonard F. Williams v. State of Indiana (NFP)
43A04-1206-PC-322
Post conviction. Reverses the post-conviction court’s judgment against Williams on his claim that his guilty plea was involuntary and remands for the post-conviction court to hold an evidentiary hearing on the issue. Affirms the post-conviction denial of Williams’ petition on his claims of ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel.
The Indiana Supreme Court and Tax Court did not post any opinions by IL deadline. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals posted no Indiana decisions by IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Jill Finfrock a/k/a Jill Bastone v. Mark Finfrock
64A05-1209-DR-489
Domestic relation. Reverses award of attorney fees to Mark Finfrock. The award was based on perceived violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which is inapplicable because Finfrock’s arrearage of child support is not considered “debt” under the Act. The trial court did not abuse its discretion by declining Jill Bastone’s request to enter a qualified domestic relations order to attach to the entirety of her ex-husband’s retirement account. Remands for further proceedings.
A lawsuit alleges that Muncie-based First Merchants Bank manipulated the timing of customers’ transactions to cause their checking accounts to bounce more frequently, generating millions of dollars in overdraft fees.
The Indiana Court of Appeals – with one judge reluctantly doing so – affirmed a decision by an administrative law judge that found a religious organization unlawfully retaliated against a family by expelling them from the homeschooling group. The expulsion occurred after the family sought a dietary accommodation for their teenage daughter at a social event and later filed a complaint with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.
A federal judge has left the door open for a former Division I college football quarterback to pursue his claim that the NCAA constitutes an illegal college sports monopoly, allowing him to amend a complaint that had been dismissed.
An Evansville police officer who killed his mistress more than 20 years ago wasn’t able to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals Wednesday that he is entitled to post-conviction relief.
A woman does not have to pay the attorney fees for her ex-husband after she sought more than $135,000 in owed child support after he failed to pay for 16 years, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled. The trial court ordered her to pay the fees under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Indiana Court of Appeals
David Streeter v. State of Indiana (NFP)
44A04-1110-PC-640
Post conviction. Affirms denial of amended petition for post-conviction relief.
In Re the Matter of L.P., Alleged Child In Need of Services, S.P. and M.H. v. Indiana Department of Child Services and Miami County CASA Program (NFP)
52A02-1212-JC-1028
Juvenile. Affirms determination that L.P. is a child in need of services.
In Re The Matter of: D.H. and D.H., Children in Need of Services; D.H. (Father) v. Marion County Dept. of Child Services, and Child Advocates, Inc. (NFP)
49A02-1210-JC-827
Juvenile. Affirms determination that D.L.H. and D.H. are children in need of services.
Term. of the Parent-Child Rel. of S.B. (Minor Child) and A.B. (Mother) and D.B. (Father) v. The Indiana Dept. of Child Services (NFP)
53A01-1208-JT-341
Juvenile. Affirms involuntary termination of parental rights.
Robert L. Murray v. State of Indiana (NFP)
45A05-1205-PC-274
Post conviction. Affirms denial of petition for post-conviction relief.
Kevin Williams v. State of Indiana (NFP)
79A02-1209-CR-761
Criminal. Affirms conviction of murder.
Samuel Bradley v. State of Indiana (NFP)
75A05-1211-CR-647
Criminal. Affirms conviction and sentence for Class B felony attempted deviate conduct.
Dennis Powell & Barbara Powell v. Porter Hospital, LLC d/b/a Porter Hospital (NFP)
64A03-1210-CT-413
Civil tort. Reverses dismissal of the Powells’ complaint against Porter Hospital and remands for further proceedings.
Angel L. Diaz v. State of Indiana (NFP)
52A04-1212-CR-660
Criminal. Affirms convictions of Class B felony possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, Class D felony pointing a firearm, and Class B misdemeanor criminal mischief.
Louis Moreira v. State of Indiana (NFP)
10A01-1208-CR-351
Criminal. Affirms two convictions of Class B felony burglary.
D.P. and G.P. v. J.H. and T.H. (NFP)
71A05-1210-MI-618
Miscellaneous. Remands with instructions to conduct a new hearing on the foster parents’ motion to tax fees and costs. Declines to address the grandparents’ arguments related to the adoption of J.P. by the foster parents and denies the foster parents’ request for appellate attorney fees.
Richard B.E. Spoon v. State of Indiana (NFP)
55A04-1205-CR-253
Criminal. Affirms conviction and sentence for Class B felony child molesting.
Jacob Phillips v. State of Indiana (NFP)
87A01-1211-CR-500
Criminal. Affirms 35-year sentence for Class A felony child molesting and the calculation of pre-sentencing credit time.
The Indiana Supreme Court and Tax Court posted no opinions by IL deadline. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals posted no Indiana decisions by IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
David Streeter v. State of Indiana (NFP)
44A04-1110-PC-640
Post conviction. Affirms denial of amended petition for post-conviction relief.
Former personal injury attorney William Conour claims his ex-wife is in possession of most of the items the government says are missing from his Carmel home, but he acknowledged auctioning sculptures for $10,000 in an apparent violation of bond conditions in his federal wire fraud case.
The Indiana Tax Court Friday sent a case back to the Department of Local Government Finance for it to take another look at its approval of a $400,000 loan for a fire truck to be paid entirely by residents of a Morgan County township. Some residents argued that because the truck would be used by other townships, it’s unconstitutional to order them to be solely responsible for the loan.
The Supreme Court of the United States on Monday denied certiorari to two cases stemming from an Indiana law disqualifying a health care provider in participating in a government program because it provides abortion care.
Judges on a panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals were stumped at times Friday in a case regarding legal fees due from the Indiana Patient’s Compensation Fund to the estate of a woman who won a wrongful death judgment after she died from burns at a care facility.
The Indiana Lawyer daily will not be published May 27 in observance of Memorial Day.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Leo Dent, Jr. v. State of Indiana (NFP)
45A03-1208-CR-362
Criminal. Affirms denial of motion for relief from judgment.
Dennis Meyer v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1206-PC-547
Post conviction. Affirms denial of amended petition for post-conviction relief.
K.L.W. v. State of Indiana (NFP)
71A05-1211-JV-609
Juvenile. Affirms placement in a youth facility for committing what would be Class D felony theft if committed by an adult.
Brant Construction, LLC; and Dune Harbor, LLC v. Circle Electric, Inc.; DeBoer Egolf Corp.; Auditor, Porter County, Indiana; First National Bank of Illinois; and Wachovia Financial Srvcs., Inc. (NFP)
64A03-1204-CC-159
Civil collection. Reverses summary judgment in favor of Circle R as against Brant, but affirms in favor of Circle R as against Dune Harbor. Remands for calculation of attorney fees.
Leona Peavler v. State of Indiana (NFP)
48A02-1209-CR-775
Criminal. Affirms order Peavler be incarcerated for violating the terms of her home detention by using methamphetamine.
Henry (Hank) Eilts, Hank's Construction, and The G. Jackie Eilts Credit Shelter Trust v. Jeremy Wayman (NFP)
85A02-1208-PL-627
Civil plenary. Affirms trial court ruling that found Eilts agreed to grant Wayman an easement on a farm as part of a project to fix a drainage issue.
Jeremy Roberts v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A05-1211-CR-563
Criminal. Affirms revocation of community corrections placement.
In Re: The Petition for the Adoption of: R.J. and S.J. (Minor Children), R.J. and L.L. v. A.G. and B.G. (NFP)
02A03-1209-AD-403
Adoption. Affirms order denying mother’s motion to withdraw her consent to the adoption and declaring father’s motion to contest the adoption as untimely and his consent irrevocably implied.
Randall Dorsett v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1208-CR-623
Criminal. Affirms convictions of Class B felony arson, murder and Class B felony robbery.
Term. of the Parent-Child Rel. of: J.N. (Minor Child), and JE.N. (Father) v. The Indiana Dept. of Child Services (NFP)
08A02-1212-JT-1010
Juvenile. Affirms termination of father’s parental rights.
James M. Durkin, Sr. v. State of Indiana (NFP)
45A03-1207-CR-314
Criminal. Affirms conviction and sentence for Class A felony robbery.
Tony Monks v. State of Indiana (NFP)
87A01-1209-CR-405
Criminal. Affirms denial of motion to suppress.
A.R. v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1210-JV-810
Juvenile. Affirms adjudication as a delinquent for committing two acts that would be Class A misdemeanor battery if committed by an adult.
The Indiana Supreme Court and Tax Court posted no decisions by IL deadline. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued no Indiana opinions by IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Rebirth Christian Academy Daycare, Inc. v. Indiana Family & Social Services Administration
49A04-1209-MI-467
Miscellaneous. Affirms denial of the daycare’s motion to dissolve and/or modify the order in the First Amended Agreement Judgment between the daycare and FSSA. The trial court properly determined that Rebirth cannot employ LaSonda Carter pursuant to I.C. 12-17.2-6-14 despite an earlier trial court order restricting access to her criminal record.
The Indiana Court of Appeals Friday concluded that a woman employed by a license-exempt child care ministry in Indianapolis can’t circumvent a prohibition from being employed at any child care ministry by relying on the Indiana Restricted Access Act.
A mother who was close to reunification with her three children, deemed children in need of services, until she battered her fiancé in front of them had the termination of her parental rights affirmed by the Indiana Court of Appeals.
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of a man’s petition for judicial review involving his refusal to take a chemical test for intoxication. The judges found the evidence supported that the officer had probable cause that Paul Hassfurther drove his truck while intoxicated and that he knowingly refused to take the chemical test.