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Opinions April 24, 2013 ILD

Indiana Court of Appeals
Dennis Barnett v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1207-PC-610
Post conviction. Affirms denial of petition for post-conviction relief.

Michael Pollack v. State of Indiana (NFP)

84A04-1207-CR-374
Criminal. Affirms probation revocation and order that Pollack serve 464 previously suspended days.

In Re the Marriage of: Lisa C. Medley v. Frederick A. Medley (NFP)
49A04-1205-DR-223
Domestic relation. Affirms finding of contempt against the mother based on her interference with the father’s parenting time, and affirms the determination of father’s child support obligation. Reverses finding that mother was in contempt for claiming children as dependent exemptions on taxes. Remands for further proceedings.

Robert L. Johnson, Barbara Johnson, Peace Building Communities, The Professional Groups of the Millennium, LTD., and God's New Covenant Church v. Peace Baptist Church, Inc. (NFP)
45A03-1206-CT-285
Civil tort. Affirms order in favor of Peace Baptist Church, finding Robert and Barbara Johnson liable of conversion. Remands for a determination on Robert Johnson’s counterclaim for malicious prosecution.

Inner Circle Properties, LLC v. Jeffrey Beeks (NFP)

35A02-1210-SC-885
Small claim. Reverses denial of Inner Circle’s claim for $250 in attorney or collection fees and remands with instructions.

Wanda Strickler v. State of Indiana (NFP)
48A04-1208-CR-408
Criminal. Affirms sentence for Class C felony trafficking with an inmate.

The Indiana Supreme Court and Tax Court issued no opinions prior to IL deadline. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued to Indiana decisions prior to IL deadline.
 

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Opinions April 24, 2013

Indiana Court of Appeals
Joshua McCaine Pillow v. State of Indiana
71A04-1206-CR-325
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class C felony operating a motor vehicle after driving privileges had been forfeited for life. There was sufficient evidence Pillow operated a motor vehicle and his driving privileges had been forfeited for life, which is all the state is obliged to prove under I.C. 9-30-10-17.

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Habitual traffic violator’s conviction upheld

Inaction by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to update a man’s driving record to reflect his lifetime suspended license is not enough to nullify a statutory requirement that his lifetime suspension be imposed, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.

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COA: Driving to avoid potholes isn’t enough to stop car

The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the suppression of evidence in a man’s drunken-driving case, finding police did not have reasonable suspicion to pull the man over because he was driving left of center on a county road to avoid poor road conditions.

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Justices focus on hazing, duty in Wabash fraternity case

Indiana Supreme Court justices on Tuesday quizzed attorneys about what constitutes hazing and whether Wabash College and a fraternity chapter owed a duty to protect a pledge injured when fraternity brothers placed him in a chokehold then dropped him.

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Opinions April 23, 2012 ILD

Indiana Court of Appeals
Term. of the Parent-Child Rel. of J.L.W. (Minor Child) and S.R.W. (Mother), J.C.H. (Alleged Father), and Alleged Unknown Father v. The Indiana Dept. of Child Services (NFP)
02A03-1207-JT-307
Termination of parental rights. Affirmed involuntary termination of mother’s parental rights. Found the trial court did not err in concluding that there is a reasonable possibility that the conditions that resulted in the minor’s placement outside the home will not be remedied.

Ronald A. Bohannon v. State of Indiana (NFP)
28A04-1212-CR-656
Criminal. Affirms sentence of eight years for a reckless homicide conviction, which was enhanced by five years as a result of Bohannon’s habitual offender status; seven years for handgun convictions, to be served consecutively to the enhanced sentence; and two years for a conviction of receiving stolen property, to be served concurrently with the other sentences.

Kenyatta Erkins and Ugbe Ojile v. State of Indiana
58A01-1205-CR-215
Criminal. Affirms convictions of Class A felony conspiracy to commit robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Rejected all the issues Erkins and Ojile raised on appeal. Found the trial court did not err in permitting the amendment to the charging information; the evidence was sufficient to show the pair intended and agreed to commit robbery that would result in serious bodily injury; the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting evidence gathered after Erkins and Ojile left the casino; any error in admitted interpretations of the pair’s phone conversation was harmless; and the prosecutor did not commit misconduct nor cause a fundamental error.

In Re the Paternity of A.H., A.E., A.M., A.I., A.N.; A.G. v. A.H. (NFP)
49A02-1208-JP-668
Paternity. Affirms trial court calculation of father’s weekly child support obligation since 2007. Found the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it made the calculations.

Sungold Holdings, Inc., Midwest Auto Body, and Robert H. Gentry, III v. Donald Blair (NFP)
18A02-1207-MI-612
Miscellaneous. Affirms trial court’s decision to issue tax deeds to Blair for three properties sold at a tax sale. Found the trial court did not err in holding that Sungold Holdings, et. al., failed to raise a viable objection to the sale.

D.S. v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A04-1210-JV-522
Juvenile. Affirms juvenile court’s adjudication finding that D.S. is a delinquent child for committing what would be the crime of receiving stolen property, a Class D felony, is committed by an adult. Found the juvenile court did not abuse its discretion by permitting the state to reopen its case in chief. Also ruled the juvenile court did not commit a reversible error by denying D.S.’s motion for involuntary dismissal under Indiana Trial Rule 41(B).

Antwan Parks v. State of Indiana (NFP)
79A02-1208-CR-672
Criminal. Affirms Parks’s conviction for Class C felony battery. Concluded the evidence was sufficient to establish bodily injury.

 

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Opinions April 23, 2013

Indiana Court of Appeals
Kenyatta Erkins and Ugbe Ojile v. State of Indiana
58A01-1205-CR-215
Criminal. Affirms convictions of Class A felony conspiracy to commit robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Rejected all the issues Erkins and Ojile raised on appeal. Found the trial court did not err in permitting the amendment to the charging information; the evidence was sufficient to show the pair intended and agreed to commit robbery that would result in serious bodily injury; the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting evidence gathered after Erkins and Ojile left the casino; any error in admitted interpretations of the pair’s phone conversation was harmless; and the prosecutor did not commit misconduct nor cause a fundamental error.

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Legal Education Task Force to meet at IU McKinney

The American Bar Association Task Force on the Future of Legal Education will examine how students are trained to be lawyers during a special meeting April 24 at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

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IBA: The Answer for a Good Time?

Members of the legal community gathered to spar over trivia while supporting the Indianapolis Bar Foundation at the fourth IBF Trivia Night, held Tuesday, April 16 at the Northside Knights of Columbus.

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Blomquist: No Joke — Let’s Take Care of the Lawyers

A dear non-lawyer friend of mine recently gave me a joke book about lawyers. If you’re like me you have received such a gift before and you smile, nod your head, chuckle at the gesture, and relegate the book to being a bathroom staple until your conscience allows you to throw it away.

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