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Judges disagrees about jury-verdict reversal

The chief judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals is calling a majority’s decision today a “radical act” in reversing a $45,000 jury verdict in favor of a former Butler University football player who was suspended from the school after being accused of raping a female volleyball player.In Susana Henri v. Stephen Curto, No. 49A02-0709-CV-777, Chief Judge John G. Baker disagreed with his two colleagues – authoring Judge Patricia Riley and Judge Margret Robb, who reversed the Marion County jury decision and…

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COA: Attorney must wait to collect fees

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a trial court’s ruling on when an attorney could receive his compensation under a contingency fee agreement, even though the attorney didn’t submit a transcript of the bench trial detailing the trial court’s findings. In Thomas J. Herr v. Carter Lumber Inc., The Carter Jones Lumber Company, and Brian L. Oaks, No. 79A02-0803-CV-290, before ruling on the issue Thomas Herr was appealing – whether the trial court erred in ordering he receive compensation under a…

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Judge clears way for $4.5 million settlement

A U.S. District magistrate judge granted a joint motion Sept. 2 to vacate a jury verdict in favor of a man wrongfully imprisoned for rape, allowing a settlement reached between the man and the city of Hammond to be approved.

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Court of Appeals rules against FSSA

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court’s dismissal of an action against the Family and Social Services Administration regarding the denial of Medicaid applications, finding the FSSA relied on an incorrect statute to justify the denial of new evidence supporting a disability claim on the appellate level. In William Curtis, Gary Stewart, and Walter Raines, on behalf of themselves and those similarly situated v. E. Mitchell Roob Jr., as Secretary of Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, and Jeff…

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Justices take riverboat revenue case

The state’s highest court has agreed to hear a case involving $16 million of East Chicago riverboat casino revenues and whether a private business can shield its financial records from the public.The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer Aug. 14 in Steve Carter v. East Chicago Second Century, et al., No. 49A02-0708-CV-722. The case concerns the attorney general’s request last year for a public accounting of money disbursed to Second Century from the state-licensed riverboat, which eventually became Harrah’s.In a March ruling,…

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COA: Priest abuse suit can proceed

The Indiana Court of Appeals this week declined to take an interlocutory appeal on a case accusing the Archdiocese of Indianapolis of covering up an ex-priest’s history of sexual abuse.In denying the case of Archdiocese of Indianapolis, et al. v. John Doe NM, 49A05-0802-CV-00075, the court has given its go ahead for the Marion County civil suit to proceed to trial; it would be the first of 13 against the archdiocese to survive summary judgment. The suit was brought by a…

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High court vies for international tech award

The Indiana Supreme Court is one of 13 international finalists being recognized for recent technology efforts, which include the case management system being phased in statewide to connect all county courts.

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Court orders suit against Papa John’s to trial

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a grant of summary judgment in favor of a national pizza chain and its employee, finding there were genuine issues of fact as to whether the employee’s statement to police was protected by privilege. In Thomas Williams and Sanford Kelsey v. Kelly Eugene Tharp and Papa John’s U.S.A. Inc., No. 29A02-0707-CV-625, Thomas Williams and Sanford Kelsey appealed the trial court grant of summary judgment in favor of Papa John’s on their claims for defamation, false imprisonment,…

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Transfer granted to confrontation issue

The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer to five cases Aug. 14, including a case that asks whether a defendant has the right to confront the lab technician who prepared a certificate of analysis. The high court granted transfer to Richard Pendergrass v. State of Indiana, No. 71A03-0712-CR-588, in which the Indiana Court of Appeals in July affirmed Richard Pendergrass’ convictions of child molesting. The appellate court ruled Pendergrass’ Sixth Amendment right to confrontation wasn’t violated with the admittance of a certificate of analysis…

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Comments sought on FMLA jury instructions

The 7th Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions Committee is accepting public comments regarding the proposed Family and Medical Leave Act pattern civil jury instructions for the Circuit Court. The committee welcomes comment before submission to the Circuit Council for approval and promulgation. Congress on Jan. 28 extended FMLA eligibility to include employees who need time off to handle certain qualifying “exigencies” related to certain family members’ service or call-up for service in a war, national emergency, or military operation designated by the…

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Supreme Court affirms COA decision

The Indiana Supreme Court has affirmed the ruling of the Court of Appeals on a case it granted transfer to Friday. Justices granted transfer late last week in Floyd Tewell v. State of Indiana, No. 48S02-0701-PC-118, in which the court was asked to rule on whether Tewell’s request challenging his prison detainment should have been treated as post-conviction relief or a writ of habeas corpus. In an order posted online today and dated Jan. 11, the Supreme Court adopted the opinion of the…

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UPDATE: SCOTUS upholds Indiana voter ID law

A week before Hoosier voters head to the polls, the nation’s highest court has upheld Indiana’s law requiring voters to show identification before casting a ballot. The Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision, this morning in the pair of consolidated Hoosier cases William Crawford, et al. v. Marion County Election Board, et al., No. 07-21, and Indiana Democratic Party, et al. v. Todd Rokita, No. 07-25. The decision rejected the constitutional challenge to the strictest voter ID law in…

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Supporting politicians: Legal industry among biggest contributors to campaigns

 Attorneys’ total contributions nationally to 2008 presidential candidates*:If you’ve been getting calls since the primaries or even earlier, asking you to donate to political party A or candidate B, or to help to spread the word about issue C, you’re not alone. It’s no secret that attorneys – whether as individuals or as a combined effort of attorneys in a firm – contribute to campaigns. In federal campaigns in 2004 and so far this year, Indiana lawyers are listed as…

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Public defender finalists named

Two men vying for Marion County’s top public defender spot will face public interviews next week before members of the county agency’s governing board decide which one will ultimately be recommended for the position.The Marion County Public Defender Agency’s board of directors declined to release names publicly until today. The board is searching for someone to succeed chief defender David E. Cook, who is leaving the agency for Indianapolis immigration firm Gresk & Singleton.Indianapolis defense attorneys Robert J. Hill Jr. and…

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Court remands to recalculate attorneys’ fees

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the eviction of a renter and an award of damages in favor of her former landlord, but it reversed the amount of attorneys' fees she has to pay because the trial court's rationale in determining the amount was insufficient.

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St. Joseph Bar releases judicial evaluation

St. Joseph County Bar Association members have evaluated the five St. Joseph Superior judges up for retention this year – Judges Roland W. Chamblee Jr., David C. Chapleau, Jerome Frese, Jenny Pitts Manier, John M. Marnocha, Jane Woodward Miller, and Michael P. Scopelitis. All of the judges received a combined average score of either average/acceptable or above average.

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COA: Award fees for litigation costs

The Indiana Court of Appeals instructed a trial court today to follow its guidance on remand to determine the amount of money to award to a man who wants to recover fees for litigation at the trial and appellate levels. The court hopes to avoid another appeal of the case.

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Court: Lawyer necessary in federal litigation

Although the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions of a defendant and his company for violations of the Clean Water Act in an unpublished opinion today, the appellate court wrote a separate opinion to discuss the issue of whether a limited liability corporation can proceed pro se in federal litigation if an attorney had already worked on the case.

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Attorney, ICLU founder dies

A prominent and well-respected labor attorney who had a great impact on Indianapolis and the legal community died July 27.Alan T. Nolan, an attorney, author, and historian, was 85. Calling and a memorial service will be Aug. 10 and 11.Nolan was born in Evansville and moved to Indianapolis at the age of 10. He attended Harvard Law School and clerked for Sherman Minton at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. He returned to Indianapolis in 1948 and practiced law…

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