Court opinions

7^th Circuit Court of Appeals
Nickolas Seekins v. CHEP USA and CHEP Recycled Pallet Solutions, LLC
20-3270
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.
Civil. Affirms the Indiana Southern District Court’s grant of summary judgment to CHEP USA and CHEP Recycled Pallet Solutions in a dispute with Nickolas Seekins. Finds CHEP did not owe Seekins a duty of care under Indiana negligence law after his lost his foot in a work-related accident. Also finds the district court did not err in granting summary judgment to CHEP.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
State of Indiana v. Brian Koorsen and Kelly Hoffman
20A-PL-2306
Civil plenary. Reverses the Hamilton Superior Court’s decision that landowners Brian Koorsen and Kelly Hoffman accepted the state of Indiana’s $45,000 settlement offer and were entitled to an additional $171,640.56 in litigation expenses. Finds that because the landowners did not mutually assent to the state’s offer to settle the cause for $45,000, the trial court erred in entering a judgment against the state for $216,640.56. Remands for further proceedings.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Cole G. Strack v. State of Indiana
21A-CR-922
Criminal. Affirms Cole Strack’s six-year sentence, with two years suspended, for convictions of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of marijuana. Finds the Wells Superior Court did not violate Strack’s right to allocution. Also finds the trial court’s error in precluding evidence pertaining to parenting issues with his child’s mother was harmless. Finally, finds that while the trial court’s failure to afford mitigating weight to Strack’s entry of a guilty plea was an abuse of discretion, declines to remand for resentencing due to the abuse of discretion and alleged cumulative effect of the trial court’s errors.