Although small claims trials should be informal, the parties must still have the opportunity to present evidence or sworn testimony in support of their positions.
M. Barnes
Roach v. State, No. 49A04-1608-CR-1918, __ N.E.3d __ (Ind. Ct. App., June 20, 2017).
A trial court judge must make credibility findings when ruling on the constitutionality of a prosecutorial preemptory challenge that strikes a prospective African American juror for demeanor-based reasons.
Daviess-Martin County Join Parks and Recreation Dept. v. Estate of Abel, No. 19A04-1607-CT-1563, __ N.E.3d __ (Ind. Ct. App., June 19, 2017).
Using the Rogers/Goodwin analysis, looking at the “broad type of plaintiff” and “broad type of harm” the lake owner/operator had no duty to a swimmer who contracted a rare infection from the lake because a reasonable person would not recognize the duty and agree that one exists.
Pollard v. State, No. 36A01-1603-CR-659, __ N.E.3d __ (Ind. Ct. App., May 23, 2017).
An inmate who obtains a bachelor’s degree may not “bank” the earned credit time to be used toward a future incarceration due to a parole violation.
Dvorak v. State, No. 53A01-1604-CR-923, __ N.E.3d __ (Ind. Ct. App., May 17, 2017).
In order to toll the statute of limitations in a criminal case, an individual must perform a “positive act” to conceal the fact that an offense has been committed.