Courts

The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer June 26 to a case involving a summary disposition in favor of the state on a post-conviction relief petition. In Shawn E. Norris v. State of Indiana, No. 43A03-0708-CR-396, Shawn Norris filed for post-conviction relief alleging newly discovered evidence. Norris’ stepsister told police that Norris had touched her daughter. Norris pleaded guilty to the charge of child molesting.After Norris was sentenced, he filed his petition for post-conviction relief and included an affidavit from his stepsister, saying…

Faced with the possibility of cutting even more from the Carroll County’s courts budget this year, that county’s judges stood firm against Carroll County Council requests to again slash the court’s budget. The judges sent a letter to the council stating if the Indiana Supreme Court would relieve the courts of some duties, then the court’s budget could be further reduced. The letter was sent to point out the absurdity of the requested cuts, said Carroll Superior Judge Jeffrey Smith. Cutting…

The Indiana Supreme Court granted four transfers yesterday in cases involving expungement of an arrest record, Indiana’s prostitution statutes, a landlord/tenant dispute, and whether control or title is critical in determining whether the vendor in a land-sale contract owes a duty to third parties. In State of Indiana v. Chad Arnold, No. 49A02-0610-CR-961, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court order denying the state’s motion pursuant to Indiana Trial Rule 60(B), which requested relief from the order that Indiana State…

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court decision to allow a couple to inspect a company’s financial statements, finding the trial court relied only on an affidavit – and not testimony – to allow the inspection. In Bacompt Systems, Inc. v. Angelina Peck and David C. Peck, No. 29A02-0708-CV-646, the Pecks made separate written requests to view Bacompt’s financial documents. The Pecks, who lived in Pennsylvania, owned approximately 25 percent of the company’s stock. Prior to David C. Peck’s termination…

An Indiana Court of Appeals panel disagrees about whether or not a parent who uses day care when he or she isn’t working is entitled to a child-support tax credit.In Craig Cross v. Victoria Cross, No. 49A05-0802-CV-94, authoring Judge Elaine Brown and Judge Paul Mathias ruled the trial court erred in ordering father Craig Cross to pay $30 more a week to pay for Victoria Cross’ work-related day care for their adult child with autism. At issue is whether or not the…

A $42 million class action lawsuit involving Indiana state employees is scheduled to go to trial Aug. 19 in Marion Superior Court. The lawsuit was brought by state employees who worked more hours than other state employees in comparable jobs. In Paula Brattain, et al. v. Richmond State Hospital, et al., No. 49D11-0108-CP-1309, the class seeks compensation from the state for an estimated 15,000 state employees who were required to work a 40-hour week while some employees in similar positions at…

An Indiana attorney often in trouble with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission was convicted Friday of crimes against a woman in a wheelchair. Northern Indiana attorney Michael Haughee was convicted of sexual battery and criminal confinement, both Class D felonies, and interference with the reporting of a crime, a Class A misdemeanor. Haughee was arrested in October 2006 following an incident at the woman’s home. Haughee claimed he went to the woman’s house to register her to vote. At the…

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a jury award and remanded for a new trial after ruling there was insufficient evidence to support an affirmative defense of a failure to mitigate damages instruction to the jury because a plaintiff failed to have surgery. In Elwood and Lila Simmons v. Erie Insurance Exchange, No. 32A04-0710-CV-552, the couple appealed a judgment awarding them each $10,000 following an automobile accident involving Elwood and another driver, who was at fault. They filed a complaint seeking underinsured…