A trial court lacks jurisdiction to review the actions of another court or to issue a writ of mandate or prohibition against another trial court.
Civil
Griffith v. Patrick, No. 17A03-1104-ES-190, ___ N.E.2d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Dec. 7, 2011).
Even though a wife had filed for divorce from her husband at the time she died, the husband is still allowed to petition for survivor’s allowance pursuant to Ind. Code § 29-1-2-14.
Norris v. Personal Finance, No. 27A04-1104-SC-183, ___ N.E.2d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Nov. 21, 2011).
Parents of competent adults are not included in the list of persons having authority to accept service under T.R. 4.16; service is not adequate on the home of a competent adult’s parents if that adult does not live at that address.
Davis v. Shelter Ins. Companies, No. 02A05-1105-CT-256, ___ N.E.2d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Nov. 21, 2011).
Adopts the following test to determine the availability of equitable estoppel as an affirmative defense against statute of limitations in insurance actions: “The first part of the test, drawing on the national case law, is to determine whether the insurer has engaged in any of the following: (1) a promise to settle; (2) discouraging the claimant from filing suit; (3) discouraging the claimant from obtaining counsel; or (4) otherwise egregious conduct. If one of those behaviors is present, then the court will engage in the second part of the test by looking at the totality of the circumstances surrounding the insurer’s actions. Equitable estoppel will be available to the claimant when the circumstances surrounding the insurer’s conduct have induced the claimant to delay timely action…and the claimant’s reliance on the insurer’s statements or actions was reasonable…” (Internal citations omitted.)
Plank v. Community Hospitals of Indiana, Inc., No. 49A04-1004-CT-25, ___ N.E.2d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Oct. 25, 2011).
Plaintiff is entitled to an evidentiary hearing about whether the state’s statutory cap on medical malpractice awards is unconstitutional.