Justia Indiana Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Plaintiff owned and operated certain water and sewer facilities in the City of Fort Wayne. The facilities were divided into two separate geographic areas - the North System and the Aboite System. In 2002 the City passed a resolution appropriating and condemning the North System. The City assessed damages in the amount of $14,759,500. Plaintiff challenged the condemnation proceedings alleging that the City failed to follow the proper eminent domain or condemnation statutes. The trial court granted summary judgment for the City, and the Supreme Court affirmed. The City subsequently reaffirmed its initial resolution appropriating and condemning Plaintiff's North System and adopted a resolution assessing damages in the amount of $16,910,5000. Plaintiff appealed the decision to the trial court and requested a trial by jury. The trial court refused the trial request and granted the City's motion for partial judgment on the pleadings. The Supreme Court reversed, concluding that Plaintiff had a right to the trial court's review of the record which included a full evidentiary hearing before a jury. View "Util. Ctr., Inc. v. City of Fort Wayne" on Justia Law

After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted was the murders of Donna Claspell and her two daughters. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed. Defendant subsequently filed a petition for post-conviction relief, alleging, inter alia, that he received ineffective assistance of counsel, that he was deprived of his right to an impartial jury, and that he was entitled to in camera review of the mental health records of a juror's family. The post-conviction court denied relief on all but one of Defendant's claims, modifying Defendant's sentence from death to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Defendant appealed the denial of his additional post-conviction request for a new trial. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Defendant failed to establish that the post-conviction evidence conclusively pointed to a conclusion contrary to that of the post-conviction court. View "Wilkes v. State" on Justia Law