Opinions

Court of Appeals of Indiana
In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of: M.T. v. Community Health Network
23A-MH-341
Mental health. Affirms M.T.’s temporary commitment. Finds the appeal is not moot because M.T. may face negative collateral consequences with respect to future involuntary civil commitment proceedings if the instant commitment order were invalid and left undisturbed. Also finds Community Health Network presented sufficient evidence to support M.T.’s temporary commitment.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Ajay Kumar v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
22A-CR-2848
Criminal. Affirms the denial of Ajay Kumar’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea to two counts of Level 6 felony sexual battery, and the denial of his motion to alter the terms of his probation. Finds the Marion Superior Court did not abuse its discretion in denying Kumar’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea because Kumar failed to observe a statutory requirement for a verified request. Also finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing Kumar’s request to be allowed to have unapproved trips out of the state. Finally, finds the prohibition on Kumar having contact with children under 16 years old is reasonable.

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Marcus Conner v. Dennis Reagle, Warden
22-1780
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
Prisoner. Affirms the dismissal of Marcus Conner’s habeas petition. Finds the district court did not abuse its discretion in declining to equitably toll the limitations period governing Conner’s section 2254 petition.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Joshua N. Pennington v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
23A-CR-374
Criminal. Affirms the denial of Joshua Pennington’s petition to file a belated appeal on his sentence of 14 years in the Indiana Department of Correction for sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony, and possession of child pornography, a Level 6 felony. Finds the Tippecanoe Superior Court was correct to deny the petition without a hearing. Also finds Pennington is not eligible to appeal his sentence, due to a waiver provision in his plea agreement that plainly stated he was giving up the right to appeal his sentence.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
R.G. v. J.S. (mem. dec.)
22A-PO-2546
Protection order. Dismisses R.G.’s appeal because it is unable to address his arguments concerning Hendricks Superior Court’s orders denying his motions for relief from judgment and dismissing his combined motion to enforce settlement agreement and motion for breach of contract. Finds he waived the issues he attempted to raise because he failed to comply with the Rules of Appellate Procedure.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Connie Ehrlich, et al. v. Moss Creek Solar, LLC, and the Pulaski County Council
22A-PL-1732
Civil plenary. Affirms the Pulaski Superior Court’s order confirming a resolution by the Pulaski County Council that created an Economic Revitalization Area and approved a tax abatement for a proposed commercial solar development by Moss Creek Solar. Finds the remonstrators have standing, but their argument under the applicable statute fails.

The following 7th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion was posted after IL deadline Tuesday:
A.B. and D.B., individually and as parents of C.B., a disabled minor v. Brownsburg Community School Corporation
22-1277
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.
Civil. Reverses the district court’s denial of attorney fees to A.B. and D.B. Finds A.B. and D.B. were the prevailing party in an administrative proceeding. Also finds attorney fees could be awarded. Remands for further consideration.

The following 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion was posted after IL deadline Friday:
Karen R. Hirlston v. Costco Wholesale Corporation
22-2067
Civil. Appeal from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Affirms the district court’s judgment and the jury’s finding. Finds the district court did not abuse its discretion in allowing both plaintiff and defendant to introduce a few photographs of the workplace that had not been disclosed in discovery and sees no risk of unfair prejudice. Also finds Karen Hirlston forfeited her appellate challenge to the jury instruction by failing to make a timely objection.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Santana J. Gray v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
22A-PC-1992
Post-conviction relief. Affirms the Marion Superior Court’s denial of Santana Gray’s post-conviction relief petition. Finds no error.

Court of Appeals of Indiana

On the Level Fence & Deck Inc. v. Indiana Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T Indiana
22A-CT-3073
Civil tort. Reverses the denial of the motion for default judgment and remands the matter to the Lake Superior Court for further proceedings. Finds that On the Level Fence & Deck’s failure to answer the complaint was the result of excusable neglect. Judge Peter Foley dissents with a separate opinion.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Tarah L. Weaver v. Samuel B. Weaver (mem. dec.)
22A-DC-2111
Domestic relations with children. Affirms the Kosciusko Superior Court’s order for Tarah Weaver to pay Samuel Weaver $2,250 in attorney fees, finding that Tarah had filed several untimely and defective motions. Finds no abuse of discretion by the trial court.

Tuesday opinions
Court of Appeals of Indiana

James K. McConnell v. Martha A. Doan; Marilyn S. Hall; David Fee; Jerome Henry, Jr.; Thomas B. Walsh; Tim Miller; and Nicolas Ciocca
23A-CT-145
Civil tort. Affirms a settlement agreement and appointment of a commercial court master. Finds the Allen Superior Court did not abuse its discretion in appointing a commercial court master pursuant to Commercial Court Rule 5 or Trial Rule 70. Also finds the settlement agreement does not contain an unenforceable “agreement to agree.”

Monday opinions
Court of Appeals of Indiana

James Andry v. Leo Thorbecke
22A-CT-2942
Civil tort. Reverses the trial court’s order granting Leo Thorbecke leave to file his untimely response and remands for further proceedings on the motion for summary judgment in which the trial court may not consider the late filings. Finds the trial court lacked authority to deviate from the bright-line rule requiring the timely filing of materials opposing summary judgment. Also finds Trial Rule 72(E) offers no relief to Thorbecke under the circumstances presented.

Friday opinions
Court of Appeals of Indiana

Jane C. Irby v. Michael A. Spear (mem. dec.)
22A-PL-2968
Civil plenary. Affirms the Clark Superior Court’s judgment that Jane Irby did not own certain property by adverse possession. Finds Irby did not meet her burden of proving the elements of adverse possession by clear and convincing evidence. Also finds the trial court was able to consider the recorded instruments, photographs and tax statements, as well as the parties’ thorough testimony, and the trial judge visited the site.

Thursday opinions
Court of Appeals of Indiana

K.H. v. Review Board of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (mem. dec.)
23A-EX-413
Appeal in certain administrative proceedings. Affirms the denial of K.H.’s unemployment benefits Finds K.H. does not qualify for unemployment benefits.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Pink Allen Robinson v. State of Indiana
22A-PC-1102
Post-conviction. Affirms the denial of Pink Allen Robinson’s change-of-judge motion. Finds the post-conviction court did not clearly err.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Gareth Sylvester Earl Jones v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-2661
Criminal. Affirms Gareth Jones’ convictions of Level 1 burglary resulting in serious bodily injury and Level 5 robbery, and his 40-year aggregate sentence. Finds the Clark Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion in the admission and exclusion of evidence. Also finds the state presented sufficient evidence to support the convictions. Finally, finds the sentence is not inappropriate.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
The Estate of Joyce Gillette and Kathryn Gillette v. Franciscan Alliance, Inc., Physician On Duty – St. Francis, Chris Hyman, and John Doe Employees of St. Francis (mem. dec.)
22A-CT-1625
Civil tort. Affirms Marion Superior Court’s order granting summary judgment to the defendants. Finds that because the designated evidence shows the defendants did not render life-prolonging care in the face of a valid refusal, they cannot be liable for medical battery.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Vincent S. Horns v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-2813
Criminal. Affirms Vincent Horns’ convictions of Level 6 leaving the scene of an accident and Level 6 obstruction of justice, and his aggregate sentence of four years. Finds the evidence was sufficient to support Horns’ convictions in the Hendricks Circuit Court. Also finds the sentence is not inappropriate.

Court of Appeals of Indiana
Kenneth R. Kirby, III v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-2917
Criminal. Affirms Kenneth Kirby III’s conviction of Level 4 felony arson. Finds the Vanderburgh Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion in denying Kirby’s motion to dismiss or in admitting testimony regarding the substance of a surveillance camera video recording that was not offered into evidence. Also finds the state presented sufficient evidence to support Kirby’s conviction.