Change in state statute gets public intoxication conviction overturned
Although the evidence showed the man was intoxicated in public, the Indiana Court of Appeals overturned his conviction because he was not a threat to public safety.
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Conviction, 30-year sentence affirmed in armed robbery
A man who, with other masked gunmen, robbed an Indianapolis Asian market lost his appeal Thursday.
For want of $2, negligence claim is untimely
A filing fee that was $2 less than required for a negligence claim in Clark County but was corrected and paid in full after the statute of limitations ran out may not proceed, the Indiana Court of Appeals held Thursday.
Divided appellate court reinstates charges stemming from illegal stop
An Indianapolis man who faced multiple charges when he fled from and battled with police after a stop the state concedes was illegal still may be prosecuted on evidence gained after he fled, two of three Court of Appeals judges ruled Tuesday.
Appeals panel affirms sole custody for mother moving to China
A father lost his appeal Thursday of a trial court ruling granting sole custody to the mother of the divorced couple’s child, who will move with her to China for three years.
No new trial for defendant who discovered pitfalls of proceeding pro se
A defendant’s request for a do-over after representing himself at trial and being found guilty was denied by the Indiana Court of Appeals with the admonishment “proceeding pro se is riddled with pitfalls.”
Malpractice defense accused of ‘egregious mischaracterization’ of record
Defense attorneys who asked for a rehearing from the Indiana Court of Appeals panel that earlier affirmed a trial court medical malpractice jury verdict failed to sway judges who took the opportunity to call out their “egregious mischaracterization” of the record.
Northern District judge tosses challenge to Indiana immigration law
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging portions of Indiana’s immigration law passed in 2011.
Massa stays in Rockport power plant case over calls for recusal
Indiana Supreme Court Justice Mark Massa on Wednesday denied a formal motion arguing that he should recuse himself from a pending case concerning the controversial Rockport power plant. The project is backed by a longtime friend of Massa and former aide to Gov. Mitch Daniels, whose administration championed the project.
Community-caretaking duties permits warrantless search
A warrantless search that led to discovery of marijuana and a handgun did not violate the Fourth Amendment because the police found the items as part of their “community-caretaking” duties.
Charge dismissed in error negates felony DUI enhancement
The state’s errant dismissal of a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge in 2009 may not be corrected in order to enhance to a felony a defendant’s second such charge within five years, a divided panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled.
Man still drunk despite change in public intoxication statute, COA rules
A 2012 change in Indiana’s public intoxication statute adding a required charging element of at least harassing, annoying or alarming another person doesn’t negate a conviction for a man who the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled did at least that much.
Environmental groups ask Massa to recuse from Rockport case
Justice Mark Massa should recuse himself from hearing an Indiana Supreme Court appeal of a ruling that hindered a proposed multi-billion-dollar coal gasification plant in Rockport, several environmental and consumer groups argue in a brief filed in the case.
State commission studying services for children sets first meeting
A commission created last year by the Legislature to better coordinate services for children will hold its first meeting Aug. 21.
Pending petition for child support becomes applicable after Legislature amends statute
A trial court will have to reconsider its ruling in a child support dispute in light of a state law that was changed while an appeal of the case was pending.
Observation and training provided ‘reasonable suspicion’ to conduct traffic stop
A man’s voluntary confession that he was a habitual traffic violator is admissible even though he had not broken any laws when the sheriff’s deputy pulled him over.
Man may be retried on sex charge, but state may not amend
A man acquitted on a rape charge but whose charge of sexual misconduct with a minor ended in a hung jury and mistrial may be retried, but not on a count the state sought to amend, the Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
Speedway man charged with threatening judge, attorney
A Speedway man accused of posting online death threats against a judge, an attorney and others has been charged in federal court, according to a statement from the office of Joe Hogsett, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
Teachers union could pay $14M to schools under settlement
The state’s largest teachers union and its national parent organization have agreed to pay $14 million under a tentative settlement announced Tuesday morning by Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson and Indiana Securities Commissioner Chris Naylor.
Weighing all the risks in a workers’ compensation case
In A Plus Home Health Care Inc. v. Miecznikowski, the Indiana Court of Appeals confirmed that while the “positional risk doctrine” described by our Supreme Court in Milledge v. Oaks, 784 N.E.2d 926 (Ind. 2003), was defunct, the analysis of compensability of injuries under the neutral risk doctrine still applied. 983 N.E.2d 140, 143-144 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012) trans. denied, 985 N.E.2d 338 (Ind. 2013). When handling a workers’ compensation matter, practitioners need to be sure they conduct an appropriate analysis of all risk doctrines applicable to the claim.