Opinions

Indiana Supreme Court
Dustin A. Lane v. State of Indiana
24S-CR-150
Criminal. Affirms Dustin Lane’s aggregate sentence of more than eight years for 10 misdemeanors he committed by sending letters from prison to his former partner, while serving time after a domestic battery conviction and in violation of a no-contact order. Finds that a lengthy sentence of incarceration for such offenses is necessary to protect victims and the community from an offender with a history of violence. Also finds that Lane’s crimes and character indicate that he poses a continuing danger of restarting a cycle of physical and emotional abuse towards A.N. Justice Derek Molter dissents with separate opinion in which Justice Mark Massa joins.

Indiana Court of Appeals
James P. Devlin v. Horizon Bank, successor in interest to Salin Bank & Trust Company by merger
23A-MF-1986
Mortgage foreclosure. Affirms the Hendricks Superior Court’s amended judgment in favor of Horizon Bank, the successor in interest to Salin Bank & Trust Company, and its ruling to foreclose on the mortgage and its amended in rem judgment against James Devlin’s property. Finds that Devlin’s arguments, if adopted, would undermine good-faith dealings between lenders and debtors and would empower sureties to litigate any subsequent action of a debtor as “misconduct” entitling the surety to discharge. Also finds that Devlin’s position is not consistent with Indiana law.

Indiana Court of Appeals
David R. Benjamin v. State of Indiana
23A-CR-2367
Criminal. Affirms David Benjamin’s conviction in Knox Circuit Court for Level 3 felony aggravated battery. Finds that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by admitting a doctor’s testimony regarding whether the victim’s injuries created a substantial risk of death.  Also finds Benjamin has waived his evidentiary appellate challenge because he objected at trial on one ground and raised a different ground on appeal. Finally, finds that any error in the admission of the evidence was harmless.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Theodore Rokita v. Barbara Tully
23A-PL-705
Civil plenary. Reverses the Marion Superior Court’s granting of summary judgment to Barbara Tully regarding her public records request for access to an informal advisory opinion from the Indiana Office of the Inspector General relating to the ethical implications of Attorney General Todd Rokita’s continued outside employment with Apex Benefits. Finds the Indiana General Assembly amended the statute relating to the Inspector General’s duties and made that amendment retroactive. Also finds the amended statute explicitly provides the Inspector General’s informal advisory opinions are confidential and excepted from disclosure under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act. Remands with instructions that the trial court grant Rokita’s cross-motion for summary judgment.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Roman Lee Jones v. Sharon Hawk, et al.
23A-CT-201
Civil tort. Affirms the Miami Circuit Court’s order granting summary judgment to prison employees, Sharon Hawk, Brian Hollis and Renee Gall on Roman Jones’ prisoner complaint against the prison employees. Finds that because the prison employees negated the first element of Jones’ First Amendment retaliation claim, the trial court did not err by granting summary judgment to the prison employees.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Kenneth Kesler, M.D. v. Indiana University Health Care Associates, Inc., d/b/a/ Indiana University Health Physicians (IUHP)
23A-PL-2111
Civil plenary. Reverses the Marion Superior Court’s order granting Indiana University Health Physicians’ request for a preliminary injunction and enjoining Kenneth Kesler from treating patients within the geographically restricted area provided in the noncompetition clause in his employment agreement. Finds that the trial court’s findings do not show a consideration of the disservice to the public by enjoining Kesler’s medical practice and IUHP has failed to show it has suffered harm. Also finds the trial court erred by concluding that IUHP was entitled to injunctive relief and by issuing the preliminary injunction. Remands to the trial court with instructions to dissolve the preliminary injunction.

Indiana Court of Appeals
C.K v. State of Indiana
23A-JM-2671
Juvenile miscellaneous. Affirms the Madison Circuit Court’s order finding C.K. in contempt of court for providing false information to the court and the Indiana Department of Child Services under oath. Finds that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by finding C.K. in contempt of court and imposing a 90-day period of incarceration as a sanction.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Pious Trans, Inc., Gagandeep Singh, and Yadwinder Singh v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s London
23A-PL-3044
Civil plenary. Affirms the Hancock Circuit Court’s granting of summary judgment to Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s London on the questions of coverage and bad faith. Finds that the policy term “commercial,” specifically as used in the term “commercial driver’s license,” is not ambiguous and that a New-York-issued Class E operator’s license is in no way equivalent to a CDL. Also finds the trial court correctly concluded that Gagandeep Singh had not satisfied the policy’s experience requirements. Finally, finds that that Underwriters did not breach the policy in denying coverage.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Brian Randy Van Auken v. State of Indiana
23A-CR-1573
Criminal. Affirms Brian Van Auken’s convictions in Wells Circuit Court for three counts of Level 1 felony child molesting, Level 3 felony promotion of sexual trafficking of a younger child, six counts of Level 4 felony child solicitation, Level 4 felony sexual misconduct with a minor and five counts of Level 5 felony child solicitation. Finds the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting certain evidence. Also finds the evidence is insufficient to sustain Van Auken’s convictions. Finally, finds his aggregate 69-year sentence is appropriate.

Indiana Court of Appeals 

Steven C. Clear v. State of Indiana 

24A-CR-170

Criminal. Affirms the Shelby Superior Court’s denial of Steven Clear’s petition for additional credit time. Finds Clear failed to convince the appellate court that the trial court erred in denying his petition as the evidence does not lead unerringly and unmistakably to a decision opposite that reached by the trial
court.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Andrew Nemeth Properties, LLC, and Andrew J. Nemeth v. William A. Panzica, Thomas C. Panzica, Philip E. Panzica, & NP3, LLC
23A-PL-1383
Civil plenary. Reverses the Marshall Circuit Court’s award of summary judgment in favor of William Panzica, Thomas Panzica, Phillip Panzica and NP3, LLC on Andrew Nemeth’s breach of contract claim and its bench judgment in favor of the defendants on Nemeth’s unjust enrichment claim. Finds that an LLC’s initial membership can be established by oral contract and that there exist genuine issues of material fact as to whether Nemeth and the Panzica Brothers orally agreed to form NP3 as equal members. Also finds that Nemeth was entitled to a jury trial on his unjust enrichment claim.

7^th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. Bryant D. Aron
22-2364
Criminal. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne Division. Chief Judge Holly Brady. Affirms the district court’s conviction of Bryant Aron on the charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon in violation and its sentence of him to the statutory maximum of 10years in prison. Finds Aron was given sufficient notice of the court’s rejection of the plea agreement to give him the opportunity to fully litigate the basis for the four-level enhancement in the PSR for use of the firearm during another felony offense. Also finds that Aron’s arguments that the court improperly inserted itself into the plea negotiation process and abused its discretion by failing to provide a sound reason for rejecting the binding plea agreement are lacking in merit.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Calvary Temple Church of Evansville, Inc v. Gerard A. Kirsch
23A-CT-1728
Civil tort. Affirms the Vanderburgh Superior Court’s denial of the Calvary Temple Church’s motion for summary judgment on Gerard Kirsch’s complaint alleging Calvary’s negligence. Finds that under Indiana Code section 34-31-7-2, “premises . . . used primarily for worship services” means only those portions of the premises that are used primarily for worship services.  Also finds that Calvary did not designate evidence that the shed where Kirsch was injured was used primarily for worship services. Finally, finds Calvary’s summary judgment motion turns solely on an interpretation of the statute that the appellate court rejects.

7^th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. Bradley Olson and Shirley Olson, doing business as Affordable Sewer Service
23-1864
Civil. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne Division. Chief Judge Holly Brady. Reverses the district court’s denial of an injunction compelling Bradley and Shirley Olson to deposit withholding taxes into a bank using an approved payroll service and requiring the Olsons to pay their taxes ahead of private creditors, permit the Internal Revenue Service to inspect their books and records, and notify the IRS if they start another business. Finds the Department of Treasury’s injury from a continuation of the Olsons’ conduct is irreparable. Remands for entry of the proposed injunction.

Indiana Supreme Court
Sabrina L. Dunn v. State of Indiana
24S-CR-123
Criminal. Vacates Sabrina Dunn’s murder conviction in Orange Circuit Court. Finds the trial court’s final instruction use of “and/or” was ambiguous and misleading. Also finds that, considering the instructions as a whole and the unusual facts of the trial, the high court concludes that the language describing the state’s burden of proof on Dunn’s defenses was so misleading as to produce fundamental error. Finally, finds the ambiguous, repeated, and uncured use of “and/or” to instruct the jury on the state’s burden of proof impaired the sole defense strategy Dunn pursued throughout the trial and there is a serious risk she was wrongly convicted without the state disproving beyond a reasonable doubt that she acted in defense of her dwelling. Remands to the trial court for further proceedings.

Indiana Supreme Court 

G.W. v. State of Indiana 

23S-JV-246

Juvenile. Remands to the Rush Circuit Court for entry of its amended dispositional order. Finds the juvenile court acted prematurely, rendering its amended dispositional order void under the high court’s appellate rules. Justice Geoffrey Slaughter dissented with a separate opinion.

7^th Circuit Court of Appeals
Brenda K. Warnell v. Martin J. O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security
23-1632
Civil. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne Division. Judge William Lee. Affirms the administrative law judge’s determination that Brenda Warnell is not disabled and therefore not entitled to disability benefits or supplemental security income. Finds the ALJ provided a more than sufficient explanation for why the medical record led her to deny Warnell’s claim. Also finds the judge acknowledged and grappled with conflicting evidence, ultimately concluding that the treatment record as a whole supports a finding of non-disability.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Edward A. Rose v. State of Indiana
23A-CR-2139
Criminal. Affirms Edward Rose’s three convictions in Noble Circuit Court for felony failure to register as a sex or violent offender. Finds Rose failed to register his online social media accounts for three dating websites: Christianfilipina.com, Jollyromance.com, and Orchidromance.com. Also finds that because the state proved that the dating websites Rose joined were “social networking web sites,” the evidence is sufficient to support Rose’s convictions.

Indiana Court of Appeals
Bremni Onelio Villatoro LLC, Bremni Onelio Villatoro, and Lesly Yessenia Dominguez Reyes v. Progressive Commercial, and Progressive Southeastern Insurance Company (mem. dec.)
23A-CT-2831
Civil tort. Affirms the Marion Superior Court’s declaratory judgment for Progressive Commercial and Progressive Southeastern Insurance Company following a bench trial. Finds that Bremni Villatoro has not shown that the trial court erred when it found that the rejection form applied to the amended policy naming the LLC.

7^th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States of America v. Christopher Tate and Sandra Kellogg
22-2060 & 22-2124
Criminal. Appeals from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Affirms conviction and sentence of Christopher Tate for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it, and the conviction and sentence of Sandra Kellogg on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. Finds the district court’s employment of the manager-supervisor enhancement did not constitute reversible error.