Articles

Appellate court finds lawsuit brought in bad faith

The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today for a fifth time on a contentious family dispute over the estate of deceased parents, affirming a small claims court judgment in favor of two of the siblings for damages and fees against their brother and his wife.

Read More

Justices: BMV can require names to match SSA records

The trial court was correct to find that the public interest in preventing fraudulent use of driver’s licenses trumps some people’s desire to have their commonly used names on their licenses, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled today.

Read More

Justices rule against POA on joint-account funds issue

The Indiana Supreme Court ruled against a woman who was made power of attorney by the man she worked for as a caretaker and opened bank accounts in both their names. The presumption is that the woman’s use of her power of attorney to benefit herself made those accounts invalid, and she failed to overcome that presumption to allow her to inherit the money from those accounts.

Read More

COA dismisses appeal as untimely under T.R. 53.3(A)

The Indiana Court of Appeals dismissed a man’s appeal from the denial of his motion to correct error because he didn’t file his notice within 30 days of when the motion was deemed denied, which happened before the trial court actually ruled on the motion.

Read More

Defendants in will contest must timely answer

In an issue of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals has held that a will contest is a civil action and a defendant in this type of action is required to file an answer or plead to a complaint as provided by the state’s trial rules.

Read More

Landlord not responsible for dog bite

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment today for a landlord who was sued by a postal carrier who was bit by a tenant’s dog that had escaped from the property. The judges declined to find that by entering into a lease, a landlord establishes a relationship to a tenant’s dog.

Read More

Circuit Court split on rehearing judicial canons case

Indiana’s two federal appeals judges disagree about whether the full 7th Circuit Court of Appeals should reconsider
a Wisconsin case about the judicial code of conduct in that state, paving the way for a further battle before the nation’s
highest court that could influence Indiana’s judicial canons.

Read More

COA: variance for residential wind turbine allowed

The Court of Appeals today affirmed a decision from the Warrick Superior Court that found the Board of Zoning Appeals of the
Area Plan Commission of Warrick County was right in allowing a 20-foot variance for the construction of a residential wind
turbine.

Read More

High court remands Medicaid case to lower court

The Indiana Supreme Court ordered a Marion Superior Court to let Medicaid recipients involved in a decades-long lawsuit present
evidence to demonstrate the transportation they may be entitled to by law and if they have been or will be denied services
because of lower pay rates to Medicaid transportation providers.

Read More

7th Circuit upholds Indiana’s judicial canons

At a time when the legal community is caught up in controversies about how judges are selected and whether they can remain
impartial, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has weighed in on that national debate and ruled that states have the authority
to self-regulate on those issues as it relates to judicial canons.

Read More