Tax return doesn’t require attached appraisal
Indiana code doesn't require an estate to file an appraisal with its inheritance tax return, the Indiana Tax Court decided in two opinions handed down Wednesday.
Court opinions
Articles
7th Circuit: counsel assistance wasn’t ineffective
A defendant didn’t receive ineffective assistance of counsel when his attorneys failed to raise the issue of comments made by his victim’s mother during the trial, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled.
7th Circuit: expenses were capital expenditures
An Indianapolis-based health insurer can’t deduct its settlement payments or legal expenses from the litigation because the insurer’s payments were actually capital expenditures, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed today.
Company not bound by defiant agent’s actions
A trial court erred in finding that a company was bound by its insurance agency's acts even though the agency
acted against the company's wishes, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today.
Judges find search of car for gun not justified
A panel of Indiana Court of Appeals judges reversed the denial of a defendant's motion to suppress evidence of drugs found in his car during a search, but one judge believed the man's cooperation and respect toward the police officer shouldn't factor into their decision making.
Justices rule on in-state, out-of-state police actions
The Indiana Supreme Court has upheld its own law enforcement practices, but leaves those of Alabama's police and judiciary out in the cold.
High court adopts COA opinion in billing dispute
The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer Wednesday in a dispute over who bears the burden to prove "pecuniary liability" under the Worker's Compensation Act, and adopted the Indiana Court of Appeals' opinion on the matter.
Immunity extends to underlying diagnoses
In a matter of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals concluded that a hospital's statutory immunity for reporting suspected child abuse to authorities extends to its underlying diagnosis.
Judges affirm finding teen is a CHINS
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the finding that a 17-year-old is a child in need of services, ruling that evidence of her drug test wasn't irrelevant and was properly admitted by the trial court.
Judge: Reformatted tax appeal untimely
Even though a couple had originally filed their tax appeal within the 45-day deadline, the Indiana Tax Court still dismissed their appeal because their reformatted documents and notice of intent to appeal weren't filed until after the deadline.
CHINS finding establishes only status of child
A finding that a child is in need of services only establishes the status of the child and means the child is a CHINS even if one parent isn't involved in the reasons for the determination, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled today
Justices rule on trust mill UPL case
The Indiana State Bar Association has won an unauthorized practice of law action against an estate planning services company, but wasn't able to completely sway the state's highest court that all "costs and expenses" should be completely granted for the prosecution of the case.
COA: Parole revocation not unconstitutional
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed that the decision to revoke a defendant's parole because he refused to take a polygraph test wasn't based on an impermissible ex post facto application of state statute.
Court orders mandate for full parole hearing
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal of a prisoner's pro se action for a mandate requiring all five parole board members to vote on his parole eligibility, ruling the prisoner's case was supported by Indiana statute.
Miscarriage an ‘act’ in intimidation charge
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed today a man's conviction of and sentence for intimidation after he threatened his wife, who recently miscarried. The appellate court ruled the miscarriage fulfilled the "act" part of the charge as contemplated by Indiana statute.
Officer didn’t conduct investigatory stop
A trial court didn't abuse its discretion in admitting evidence that a juvenile possessed marijuana because the seizure of the drug didn't violate the teen's constitutional rights, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled.
Opinion explains use of supplemental evidence
In affirming a trial court's decision to uphold a board of zoning appeals' denial of a petition for a variance, the Indiana Court of Appeals also addressed the trial court's admission of supplemental evidence pursuant to Indiana Code Section 36-7-4-1009.
Opinion invites high court to reconsider decision
The Indiana Court of Appeals invited the Indiana Supreme Court to revisit its ruling that held only children born alive fall under Indiana's Child Wrongful Death Statute. In a decision today, the majority of the appellate court panel felt bound by the high court's previous ruling.
COA reverses dismissal of drug charges
A trial court erred when it sua sponte decided to exclude evidence from a warrantless search of a defendant's car and dismiss the drug charges against him as a result of that search, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today.
Man not prejudiced by attorney’s assistance
Even though a defendant's counsel was found to be ineffective based on his "television fantasy" trial strategy, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court denial of his petition for habeas corpus because he didn't show he was prejudiced by his attorney's performance.