Articles

Opinions June 11, 2020

Indiana Court of Appeals
Christal Trowbridge v. In re the Estate of Everett Thomas Trowbridge, Michael T. Trowbridge
19A-ES-3022
Estate. Reverses the Clark Circuit Court’s refusal to probate the will of Christal Trowbridge’s ex-husband, Everett Thomas Trowbridge. While affirming the probate court’s conclusion that Everett’s estate is entitled to the presumption that Trowbridge destroyed his will with the intent to revoke it, agrees with Christal that the court did not engage in the proper analysis to determine whether she rebutted that presumption. Remands on that issue with instructions for the court to issue a new order applying the correct analysis.

Read More

Opinions June 10, 2020

The following 7th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion was posted after IL deadline Tuesday:
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Erin Johnson v. Enhanced Recovery Company, LLC
19-1210 & 19-1334
Appeals from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division. Judge Philip P. Simon.
Civil. Affirms the district court’s entry of summary judgment for Enhanced Recovery on Erin Johnson’s class-action complaint seeking damages under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Finds Johnson failed to present any evidence other than her own opinions that a letter sent by ERC was misleading. Affirms on cross-appeal the district court’s denial of ERC’s prior motion to dismiss, finding denial was proper because the court found Johnson had presented a plausible claim.

Read More

Opinions June 8, 2020

Indiana Court of Appeals
In the Matter of G.B., K.W., and D.C. (Minor Children), Children Alleged to be in Need of Services; N.C. (Mother) v. Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.)
19A-JC-2435
Juvenile CHINS. Affirms the adjudication of mother N.C.’s three minor children, G.B., K.W. and D.C., as children in need of services. Finds the Department of Child Services presented sufficient evidence to support the juvenile court’s determination that the children are CHINS.

Read More

Opinions June 4, 2020

Indiana Court of Appeals
In Re the Paternity of J.G.; Wendy Sonora Hernandez and Margarito Guzman v. Fredy Sanchez Cortes and State of Indiana
19A-JP-2429
Juvenile paternity. Affirms the denial in Elkhart Superior Court of Wendy Sonora Hernandez’s motion for summary judgment on the state’s action seeking to establish paternity of her child by Fredy Sanchez Cortez. Finds the trial court did not err in its denial, and that mother and husband, Margarito Guzman, have failed to meet their burden on appeal to demonstrate that the court abused its discretion when it dismissed husband as a party to the action. Also finds that mother has failed to demonstrate that she was prejudiced by the trial court’s failure to provide her with explicit notice of its intent to treat her motion to dismiss as a motion for summary judgment. Lastly, holds that the state timely filed its paternity petition and that putative father was not required to register with the putative father registry before the state could file its petition.

Read More