Opinions

Indiana Court of Appeals
P & P Home Services, LLC v. Review Board of the Indiana Dept. of Workforce Development and Cynthia Hutcherson
93A02-1511-EX-1818
Agency action. Reverses Department of Workforce Development Review Board determination that a former employee of P&P Home Services is eligible for unemployment benefits. Remands to the board for a determination of whether the worker’s employment relationship was voluntarily severed by the employee.

Indiana Supreme Court
Kathy L. Siner, Personal Representative of the Estate of Geraldine A. Siner, Deceased, et al. v. Kindred Hospital Limited Partnership, d/b/a Kindred Hospital of Indianapolis, et al.
49S05-1604-CT-219
Civil tort. Reverses find of summary judgment for Kindred Hospital and Mohammed Majid after the Supreme Court found genuine issues of material fact in the case.

Indiana Supreme Court
Ronald Sanford Jr. v. State of Indiana
49S05-1604-PC-210
Post conviction. Reverses trial court and Court of Appeals decisions and finds Ronald Sanford can file a belated notice of appeal of his sentence after he pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, among other charges, because of “unique circumstances.”

Indiana Supreme Court
William Bowman v. State of Indiana
 21S04-1510-CR-604
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class A felony dealing in a narcotic drug within 1,000 feet of a school property and being a habitual substance offender. The evidence was sufficient to sustain William Bowman’s conviction despite a second baggie of evidence not being tested to prove it was heroin after a first bag of heroin was tested.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Kelly E. Culver v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
84A01-1511-PC-1964
Post conviction. Affirms denial of Kelly Culver’s petition for post-conviction relief.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Kennedy Tank & Mfg. Co., Inc.; and Hemlock Semiconductor Corp., and Hemlock Semiconductor, LLC v. Emmert Industrial Corporation, d/b/a Emmert International
49A02-1507-CT-934
Civil tort. Reverses denial of Kennedy Tank Manufacturing’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought against it by Emmert International. The Indiana statute of limitation the trial court relied on is preempted by a federal statute with a shorter limitations period, and Emmert did not bring the lawsuit within that period.

Indiana Supreme Court
Adam Horton v. State of Indiana
79S02-1510-CR-628
Criminal. Reverses Adam Horton’s conviction of Class D felony domestic battery after the court found Horton did not waive his right to jury trial on the charge. Remands for a new trial. The failure to confirm his person waiver before proceeding to a bench trial was fundamental error.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Eddie G. Love v. State of Indiana
20A05-1509-CR-1327
Criminal. Remands Eddie Love’s petition for habeas corpus to Elkhart Circuit Court with instructions to dismiss because Love improperly field his petition without permission from the court.

Indiana Supreme Court
Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, Energy Policy Institute, and Common Cause of Indiana v. Eric Koch, and Indiana House Republican Caucus
49S00-1510-PL-607
Civil plenary. Affirms dismissal of lawsuit seeking copies of Koch’s, and his staff’s, correspondence with various business organizations in relation to specific legislation. Holds whether the work product exception within the Indiana Access to Public Records Act applies to the Indiana General Assembly presents a non-justiciable question. Justice Rucker dissents in part with separate opinion.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Toddrick Ogburn v. State of Indiana
82A01-1509-CR-1546
Criminal. Reverses and remands Toddrick Ogburn’s conviction of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in an amount greater than 10 pounds, a Class C felony, because the court abused its discretion by admitting evidence in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Paul Angel v. Vanderburgh County Treasurer and Townsquare Media, LLC
82A04-1511-MI-1902
Miscellaneous. Reverses and remands order denying Paul Angel’s motion to establish redemption amount, finding Angel is entitled to recover from Townsquare Media under Ind. Code 6-1.1-25-12. Remands for determination of amount Angel is entitled to recover.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Mason W. Meunier-Short v. State of Indiana
32A01-1507-CR-968
Criminal. Remands to trial court to conduct an indigency hearing at some point before Mason Meunier-Short’s probation ends. Vacates part of order imposing a $200 substance abuse fee and $200 alcohol and drug countermeasures fee. Reverses condition that would require Meunier-Short to go to school and maintain a “C” average and remands for the court to amend the probation order to give him the option to maintain fulltime employment or faithfully pursue a course of study that will equip him for suitable employment.

Indiana Supreme Court
The following opinions were issued after IL deadline Tuesday.
William Clyde Gibson III v State of Indiana
22S00-1206-DP-00360.
Criminal. Affirms death sentence for William Clyde Gibson in murder of Stephanie Kirk, finding the trial court did not err and the sentence is not inappropriate.

Indiana Supreme Court
Scott Hitch v. State of Indiana
49S02-1506-CR-376
Criminal. Affirms there was no violation of Scott Hitch’s Sixth Amendment right to trial by jury and evidence was sufficient to sustain his conviction of battery as a Class A misdemeanor and that he committed a crime of domestic violence. Justice Massa concurs in result with separate opinion in which Justice Dickson joins.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Dorothea Bragg, on Behalf of Herself and All Others Similarly Situated v. Kittle's Home Furnishings, Inc.
49A02-1506-PL-653
Civil plenary. Affirms summary judgment for Kittle’s on all claims raised by former employee Dorothea Bragg against the store. Bragg alleged Kittle’s failed to pay employees earned commissions within the 10-day limit set forth in the Indiana Wage Payment Statute.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Joshua S. Black v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
33A01-1509-CR-1361
Criminal. Affirms Level 5 felony conviction of dealing in methamphetamine, finding the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Joshua Black’s motion to withdraw a guilty plea.
 

Indiana Court of Appeals
Community Health Network v. Pamela D. Bails
49A05-1512-PL-2059
Civil plenary. Reverses and remands motion to correct error, which vacated an agreed judgment between Pamela Bails and Community Health Network from Decatur Township Small Claims Court. An agreed judgment is not appealable, absent fraud.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Larry J. Jernas and R & R Horse Haven, Inc. v. Kevin J. Gumz
75A03-1511-CC-1903
Civil collection. Affirms Kevin Gumz can keep $25,000 deposit after sale of real estate did not go through. Rejects claims the agreement was invalid because it was indefinite or not properly executed.

Indiana Supreme Court
Michael Ackerman v. State of Indiana
49S00-1409-CR-770
Criminal. Affirms Michael Ackerman’s conviction and sentence for second-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. The court found an admission of an autopsy report into evidence does not violate the defendant’s right to confront witnesses against him when the pathologist who performed the autopsy against him was not available to testify.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Richard Lee Dulin v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
79A05-1508-CR-1155
Criminal. Affirms sentence of five years with two suspended to probation for conviction of Level 5 felony operating a vehicle while privileges are suspended for life and Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement.