Court opinions

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Donnell Goston Sr., et. al v. State of Indiana, et al.
21A-CT-2484
Civil tort. Affirms the grant of summary judgment for the Indiana Department of Child Services and other state defendants on father Donell Goston Sr.’s negligence complaint. Finds the Marion Superior Court didn’t err in allowing DCS to file a third motion for summary judgment as the motion addressed grounds not previously brought by the agency. Also finds the Notice Statute doesn’t allow a private right of action, and the Legislature didn’t intend for the law to allow it to do so.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Anthony Brahimsha v. Mariana Vallejo (mem. dec.)
21A-DC-2812
Domestic relations with children. Affirms the Jasper Circuit Court’s division of the marital estate arising from the dissolution of marriage between Anthony Brahimsha and Mariana Vallejo. Finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion by including a $70,000 loan and a vehicle in the marital pot or by omitting the value of the parties’ personal assets from the marital estate. Also finds the trial court did not err in finding that Wife had dissipated marital assets. Finally, finds the trial court did not err when it deviated from an equal division of the marital estate.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Jacquetta Hahn-Weisz v. Samuel C. Johnson and Amber Johnson
22A-DC-36
Domestic relations with children. Reverses the Union Circuit Court’s partial grant of a petition to modify custody of J.J. filed by father Samuel Johnson. Finds Jacquetta Hahn-Weisz, the child’s grandmother who raises the child, presented clear and convincing evidence that the child’s best interests were substantially and significantly served by remaining with her. Also finds she has demonstrated prima facie error in the trial court’s granting of Johnson’s petition for modification of custody.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Trent Michael Weaver v. State of Indiana  
21A-CR-2424
Criminal. Affirms Trent Weaver’s aggregate eight-year sentence following his convictions of dealing in a narcotic drug and reckless homicide, both as a Level 5 felony. Finds the Pulaski Superior Court did not abuse its discretion when it imposed separate sentences for Weaver’s dealing and reckless homicide convictions, when it imposed consecutive sentences for those convictions or when it imposed enhanced consecutive sentences. Also finds the trial court’s sentencing statement is adequate. Finally, finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it sentenced Weaver.