Tax Court upholds 2018 assessment of Jackson Co. property
Jackson County homeowners who claimed to be victims of an abusive tax assessment system could not convince the Indiana Tax Court that a 2018 valuation of their home was incorrect.
Courts
Articles
Supreme Court rejects appeal to limit transgender students
The Supreme Court declined Monday to take up an appeal from parents in Oregon who want to prevent transgender students from using locker rooms and bathrooms of the gender with which they identify, rather than their sex assigned at birth.
COA reverses for couple, against Noblesville in adverse possession dispute
The Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed in favor of two longtime Noblesville residents who exercised control over an abandoned railroad right of way for decades, finding the residents reasonably believed they were paying taxes on the right of way during a period of adverse possession.
Indianapolis attorney suspended for misleading client
An Indianapolis attorney who failed to act promptly and misled a client has been suspended from the practice of law in Indiana for six months.
Judge convicted after meth sting barred from bench, suspended
A Hamilton County judge who purchased meth from an informant in a sting operation then bit the thumb of an officer who tried to stop the jurist from swallowing the evidence has been barred from holding judicial office but may continue to conditionally practice law after a 90-day suspension.
Appeals court upholds $112M damages judgment for Carmel spine surgeon
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a northern Indiana jury’s award of more than $112 million for a Carmel spine surgeon who won a royalty battle against medical device manufacturers.
Southern District Court announces appointment of newest magistrate judge
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana announced its newest magistrate judge on Friday, who will help alleviate the overwhelming caseload faced by one of the busiest federal court districts in the country.
Trump loves to win but keeps losing election lawsuits
For a man obsessed with winning, President Donald Trump is losing a lot. He’s managed to lose not just once to Democrat Joe Biden at the ballot box but over and over again in courts across the country in a futile attempt to stay in power.
Indy lawyer, firm file Trump suit seeking to overturn Wisconsin vote
A high-profile Indianapolis attorney and law firm is representing President Donald Trump in the latest lawsuit seeking to overturn the results of last month’s presidential election in Wisconsin, one of several decisive states narrowly won by President-elect Joe Biden.
Full 7th Circuit rejects federal execution appeal over mental capacity
In a 7-2 decision, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected a federal death row inmate’s request for an en banc rehearing after a panel of the court in October refused to stay his execution due to his claimed mental incapacity.
Divided justices affirm lookalike drug conviction in search dispute
A split Indiana Supreme Court has affirmed a man’s drug-related conviction after the Indiana Court of Appeals previously reversed in his favor, finding a search and seizure that resulted in his arrest proceeded within the bounds of the Fourth Amendment.
7th Circuit discusses supervised release appeals in child-porn case
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday affirmed a man’s sentence after deciding to bring closure to a recurring issue faced in recent years regarding criminal defendants’ contentions about unconstitutionally vague conditions of supervised release.
Woman loses appeal of murder conviction over self-defense claim
The murder conviction of a woman whose voluntary manslaughter plea was rejected by a judge after the woman insisted she shot a man in self-defense was affirmed on appeal Monday.
Appeals court affirms mental health commitment order
A man who was found walking barefoot two miles from his home with glass in his feet was not wrongly ordered committed, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday.
Appeals panel upholds murder, attempted murder convictions
A man who was among a group of armed, masked people who entered a house around 3 a.m. on a November morning four years ago leading to a fatal gun battle lost his appeal of murder and attempted murder convictions Monday.
Split COA affirms denial of claim against hospital in case tied to killing
The widow of a man who was killed by his grandson after numerous mental health treatments lost an appeal of a ruling against her negligence claims against health care providers Monday.
Reversal: Court can’t deny mother visitation without hearing
A mother was wrongly denied her petition for visitation with her daughter who is the subject of a guardianship, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday. The appellate court remanded the case to give the mother her day in court.
In affirming murder conviction, judge sees double jeopardy ‘dilemma’
The 65-year sentence of a man convicted of murder was affirmed Monday on appeal, but a judge wrote separately to “address a practical dilemma facing appellate courts, lawyers, and litigants” after recent appeals revised longstanding double jeopardy caselaw.
Molest sentence, convictions reduced due to late amended charges
The sentence of a man convicted of child molesting was reduced and some of his convictions were vacated Monday by the Indiana Court of Appeals, which found the filing of top-level felony counts two weeks before the trial began was an abuse of discretion.
Investor loses appeal of ruling in favor of futures association
A derivatives investor whose longtime association with a trader soured before the trader was barred from dealing in commodity futures lost his appeal of a ruling in favor of the entity that regulates those traders.