Court of Appeals of Indiana
John S. Wagner and Sharon G. Wagner v. United Farm Family Mutual Insurance Company (mem. dec.)
22A-PL-1419
Civil plenary. Affirms the entry of summary judgment in favor of United Farm Family Mutual Insurance Company on John and Sharon Wagner’s complaint for wrongful denial of coverage. Finds the Carroll Circuit Court did not err in ruling that the Wagners’ policy does not cover their mold-related loss.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Fredrick Austin v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-1240
Criminal. Reverses Fredrick Austin’s convictions of two counts of Level 1 felony child molesting. Finds the evidence is insufficient to support the convictions. Remands with instructions to replace the two Level 1 felony convictions with two convictions of Level 4 felony child molesting and to resentence Austin accordingly.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
John C. Miller v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-1055
Criminal. Affirms John C. Miller’s convictions of Level 4 felony possession of methamphetamine and Class C misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia. Finds Whitley Circuit Court did not abuse its discretion when it admitted evidence recovered during a pat-down search of Miller. Finds the pat-down search was supported by reasonable suspicion and thus did not violate Miller’s Fourth Amendment rights.
The following 7th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion was posted after IL deadline on Thursday:
United States of America v. Thomas Jones, et al.
20-1405, 20-1442, 20-2112, 20-2304, 20-2420, 20-2458, 20-2462, 20-2498, 20-2499, 20-3266, 21-1002
Appeals from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Judge James R. Sweeney, II.
Criminal. Affirms all challenged drug-related convictions for Pierre Riley, Reggie Balentine, Michael O’Bannon, Michael Jones, Jason Reed, Shaun Myers, Perry Jones, Thomas Jones, Derrick Owens and Antwon Abbott. Affirms all defendant-appellants’ sentences except that of Thomas Jones. Finds no reversible error except as to the imposition of a two-level firearm enhancement to Thomas’ sentence. Remands Thomas’ case for resentencing. Judge Thomas Kirsch dissents in part with separate opinion.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Michael Bass Chatman v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-934
Criminal. Affirms Michael Bass Chatman’s conviction of Level 3 felony aggravated battery resulting in serious bodily injury to a person less than 14 years old. Finds the testimony by the pediatric nurse practitioner was not inadmissible hearsay under Indiana Evidence Rule 703.
Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance Company v. HomeWorks Management Corporation; HomeWorks Funding Group II LLC; HomeWorks Construction Inc.; HomeWorks Holdings LLC; HomeWorks Realty LLC; HomeWorks Management and Remodeling LLC; HomeWorks Investments, Inc.; Selena Wiley; Joevonne Hiles, Sr.; Child Doe A; Child Doe B; Jeff Muzik; Ken Mensik; Joe Colvin, Jodi Pearce; Becky Medich; Mitchell Hooton; and Ron McCall
22A-PL-1232
Civil plenary. Reverses the entry of summary judgment in favor of HomeWorks Management Corporation and HomeWorks Funding Group II LLC and the denial of Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance Company’s motion to summary judgment. Finds the St. Joseph Circuit Court erred.
Kalanu Carter v. Ryan Carter
21A-DC-2395
Domestic relations with children. Affirms the Miami Superior Court’s grant of father Ryan Carter’s motion to reopen evidence after the final hearing in a dissolution action and the award of primary physical custody of minor child to Ryan. Reverses the trial court’s order that mother Kalanu Carter, as the noncustodial parent, pay $20 per week in child support. Finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it granted Ryan’s motion to reopen evidence or when it awarded him primary physical custody, but did abuse its discretion when it ordered Kalanu to pay $20 a week in child support. Remands with instructions for the trial court to enter an order that Kalanu is not required to pay child support because the adjustments to her child support obligation exceed the obligation.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Tariq Fuad Hamdi v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-1324
Criminal. Affirms Tariq Fuad Hamdi’s conviction of Level 5 felony dealing in hash oil weighing at least 300 grams. Finds the evidence sufficient.
Indiana Supreme Court
In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of B.N. v. Health and Hospital Corporation d/b/a Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center
22S-MH-408
Mental health. Grants transfer and affirms the order of regular commitment of B.N. after the Marion Superior Court conducted a remote hearing. Finds the trial court abused its discretion by failing to provide particularized and specific factual support to conduct B.N.’s commit hearing remotely over her timely objection, but the error was harmless.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Jennifer R. Teising v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-548
Criminal. Reverses Jennifer R. Teising’s convictions of 21 counts of Level 6 felony theft. Finds the state failed to present sufficient evidence that Teising intended to abandon her Wabash Township domicile and establish a new residence elsewhere and that she, in fact, established said new residence. Also finds the Tippecanoe Superior Court erred in finding Teising guilty.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Kevin D. Albertson and Pamela L. Albertson v. Richard Cadwell and Lisa Cadwell
22A-PL-782
Civil plenary. Affirms partial summary judgment awarded to Richard and Lisa Cadwell on Kevin and Pamela Alberton’s complaint for declaratory judgment seeking an easement of necessity on the Cadwells’ real property. Finds that because the parties agreed at the time of the conveyance of the new parcel that the Albertsons would not have an easement across the Cadwell property, the Albertsons’ claim to such an easement now fails as a matter of law. Also finds the Hendricks Circuit Corut did not err when it entered partial summary judgment for the Cadwells on the Albertsons’ alleged easement of necessity.
Indiana Supreme Court
Marquis David Young v. State of Indiana
22S-CR-306
Criminal. Affirms Marquis David Young’s convictions of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Finds a reasonable inference that Young was guilty as charged may be drawn from the whole picture of the evidence in this case.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Thomas M. Shoaff v. First Merchants Bank
22A-PL-514
Civil plenary. Affirms the grant of summary judgment in favor of First Merchants Bank on its action seeking to hold Thomas Shoaff to his responsibilities under a signed guaranty agreement, but reverses the Allen Superior Court’s damages award with respect to its calculation of interest, late fees and attorney fees. Finds the trial court did not err when it granted summary judgment to First Merchants but did err with respect to its award of interest, late fees and attorney fees. Remands for further proceedings.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Great West Casualty Company, DTAK, LLC, and Matthew Ehlen v. Founders Insurance Company (mem. dec.)
22A-PL-1771
Civil plenary. Affirms the grant of summary judgment in favor of Founders Insurance Company declaring that Founders is not obligated to provider coverage under an automobile insurance policy procured by Brian K. Gates Jr. Finds Founders is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, and there is no genuine dispute of material fact. Also finds the LaPorte Superior Court did not err in granting summary judgment to Founders and denying summary judgment to Great West Casualty Company, DTAK LLC and Matthew Ehlen.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Avis Deforest White v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-978
Criminal. Reverses the denial of Avis Deforest White’s motion to suppress evidence stemming from a traffic stop. Finds the Indiana General Assembly has not made “inactive” registration an infraction, so the traffic stop was not justified by reasonable suspicion and was therefore impermissible. Judge Margret Robb dissents with separate opinion.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Robert Lawson v. State of Indiana
22A-CR-448
Criminal. Affirms officer Robert Lawson’s conviction of official misconduct. Finds that Marion Superior Court did not abuse its discretion by denying Lawson’s motions for judgment on the evidence. Also finds the state presented sufficient evidence to sustain Lawson’s convictions. Finally, finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion by refusing to give Lawson’s proposed jury instructions.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
In the Matter of: K.G., T.L.J.
22A-MI-502
Miscellaneous. Affirms in part the Orange Circuit Court’s denial of mother T.L.J.’s request to change the gender marker on her transgender daughter K.D.G.’s birth certificate. Finds Indiana Code § 16-37-2-10 doesn’t provide the court with the authority to grant the requested relief. Also finds the trial court’s lack of findings means the Court of Appeals cannot ascertain why the court found that T.L.J. failed to meet her burden of proving that the requested change was in K.D.G.’s best interests. Remands to the trial court with instructions to make additional factual findings explaining its decision, focusing specifically on I.C. 317-17-2-8
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Joseph Ray Varney v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
22A-CR-1186
Criminal. Affirms Joseph Ray Varney’s sentence of 15 years, with nine years executed and six years suspended to probation, for Level 3 felony dealing in methamphetamine and admitting to being a habitual offender. Finds the Clark Circuit Court acted within its discretion in sentencing Varney, and his sentence is not inappropriate in light of the nature of the offense and his character.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
Courtney Elizabeth Crabtree v. State of Indiana
21A-CR-2752
Criminal. Affirms the denial of Courtney Elizabeth Crabtree’s motion to suppress evidence found in her hotel room after a dog sniff. Finds the reasoning in Hoop v. State does not extend to these circumstances, so reasonable suspicion is not required here. Also finds that under the comprehensive three-factor balancing test in Litchfield v. State, the dog sniff was reasonable. Finally, finds that while the other evidence used to procure the search warrant was illegally obtained, the dog sniff and other evidence provided sufficient legally obtained information to support the issuance of a search warrant. Judge Elizabeth Tavitas concurs in result with separate opinion.
Court of Appeals of Indiana
In Re the 2020 Madison County Tax Sale; James A. Crowe and Phyllis Lynn Crowe v. Savvy IN, LLC
22A-TP-1113
Petition for tax deed. Reverses the denial of Dr. James A. Crowe and Phyllis Lynne Crowe’s motion for relief from judgment following the Madison Circuit Court’s order to issue tax deeds. Finds the Crowes presented testimony that they did not receive notice regarding their right to redeem the property in question following the 2020 tax sale or Savvy IN, LLC’s request for tax deeds, and that their signatures did not appear on the certified mail receipts. Remands to provide the Crowes with 30 days to redeem the parcels.