New Indiana Laws Relating to Firearms and School Safety and a Resolution Welcoming Gun Manufactures to Indiana

A key part of staying in compliance with the law to changing the law is understanding it.  This is the focus of this blog post, “What is new in the firearms arena?”

With the 2013 Indiana General Assembly coming close, there are three new pieces of legislation that passed and were sent to the Governor for signature (and signed).  They do not directly expand or limit gun rights.  The first is Senate Bill 1. This extensive piece of legislation addresses school safety, and covers extensive provisions for a school resource officer and implementation of comprehensive school safety plan, whereby the state provides matching funds for this purpose.

Ultimately, this provides more funding than presently available for school safety and incorporates the safety plan with law enforcement.  Thus, our General Assembly and Executive Branch, and ultimately as the law is passed upon by the courts, demonstrates an exceptional commitment for our schools and protection of our future, by and through the safety of our school children.

http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2013/PDF/SE/DE0001.1.pdf

House Bill 1563 tightens up and clarifies hunting with silencers and addresses switchblades. In addition, it clarifies the shooting range protection act.

http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2013/PDF/HE/HE1563.1.pdf

House Bill 1006 completely rewrites the criminal code and takes effect in 2014.  In doing so, it changes the way felonies are stated and well known to Hoosiers, a Class D felony, being the lowest, through the highest felony, a Class A felony.  This will be replaced by levels 1 through 6 of felonies.

http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2013/PDF/HE/HE1006.1.pdf

Finally the Senate passed a resolution welcoming gun manufacturers to Indiana. Indiana has a long history in firearms testing and manufacture, including the Crane Naval Warfare Center located in Crane, Indiana.  And this is good business for Indiana.

This blog post was written by attorney Bryan L. Ciyou, who practices law through the state and consults on firearms matters throughout the Country.

In domestic law cases, whether it is a pending divorce, a child custody case, or child support modification, many litigants are anxious to find out how the judge will rule. Oftentimes there is a lot of information presented by way of exhibits and testimony at a hearing. Sometimes, hearings can be just a few hours, and other times hearings will stretch on for 3 or 4 days, spanning several months. This can be very frustrating to a parent who is seeking to exercise more time with his or her child, or change custody and remove the child from what that parent believes is a bad situation. So the question arises, just how much time should a judge take to rule on a case?

While many cases, such as protective orders, or misdemeanor criminal cases, the judge may rule from the bench immediately following closing arguments from the attorneys, with such high stakes (the future health and welfare of minor children), lengthy hearings, and copious amounts of evidence, a judge may be reluctant to make a snap decision. When this happens, which is often the case in the domestic arena, a judge will conclude the hearing by stating “I will take this under advisement.” What this means is that the judge, in theory, will take some time to go over his or her notes from the trial, relook at all the evidence, and consider very carefully his or her decision. While this extended wait may be very frustrating for a parent, it is often important for the judge to take his or her time in really making the best decision he or she sees fit for the matter before the court.

At some point, after anxiously awaiting a decision from the judge, when should attorneys and litigants become concerned that the decision is taking too long?

Pursuant to Indiana Trial Rule 53.2,(QUOTE 1) titled “Time for holding issue under advisement; delay of entering a judgment,” a judge has 90 days to issue a ruling on all matters (motions and issues brought before the court) in a given case, after he or she takes the matter under advisement. If a judge does not issue a ruling within this specified time the pending issues and case may be withdrawn from the judge, and transferred to the Supreme Court of Indiana for appointment of a special judge.(QUOTE 2)

In a recently decided case from the Indiana Court of Appeals, In Re the Paternity of V.A., the trial court had several pending motions before it, such as the Petition to Establish Paternity, Custody, and Parenting Time, Petition for Contempt and Request for the Return of Property. The trial court issued its order, within the specified 90 days, but the Court of Appeals held that the trial court did not rule on ALL pending motions, and therefore, did not comply with Trial Rule 53.2. The Court of Appeals remanded the case back to the trial court for a ruling on the petitions and motions that it failed to issue any ruling on in its final order, namely legal custody and the Petition for Contempt. The Court of Appeals noted that specifically with respect to the Petition for Contempt, the trial court has the discretion to find a party in contempt, or not, but the opinion of the Court of Appeals indicates that the trial court must indicate its determination, and must still state its finding, even if it does not find that the party is in contempt.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in understanding why the trial court sometimes takes matters under advisement rather than ruling immediately, and the timing for issuing a final order. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Lori Schmeltzer.

1. Trial Rule 53.2
2. Trial Rule 53.2(A)

When child custody is at issue, or during a guardianship or defacto case, the physical and mental health of the parties is often of the upmost importance. Understanding the party’s ability to properly care for a child and act in the best interests of a child is an important determination in family law.

But, how does a party determine the physical and mental health of another? Often this is accomplished through the discovery process, and if specific concerns are alleged, the discovery can be specific to those concerns¹.

There are several examples of potential concerns that may prompt discovery and evidence of physical and mental health. For example, there may be a concern that one parent is abusing drugs, or a grandparent who is a child’s guardian is in poor health, to the point they are unable to properly care for the child.

Due to the strict confidentiality of medical and mental health records, including HIPAA and other protections, these records are often only available after a release has been signed. Once a release is signed by the patient, the records may be provided to other parties. However, if the records are filed with the Court or used as an exhibit, these records are filed as confidential². Some providers require a Court order to release records if a release is not signed by the patient.

There are times when records are not presently available. For example, in the example above where a party suspects another of abusing drugs, if that party has not been in any treatment or taken a drug screen, there may be no evidence. At that point, the other party might file a motion with the Court requesting that a drug screen be taken. This is filed under Indiana Trial Rule 35 as a physical examination, and may be ordered by the Court.

Examinations under Trial Rule 35 can also be ordered for the child in a custody or related matter. For example, if a child is in need of counseling to address an issue, the Court may order that the child be evaluated by a psychologist or other mental health professional who could then recommend counseling sessions if necessary.

Information regarding mental and physical health of parties and children is extremely sensitive information, and is confidential pursuant to a number of safeguard laws, including HIPAA and Indiana Administrative Rule 9. Knowing the boundaries of information requests and the appropriate means of handling this sensitive information can help parties in custody and related matters act in the best interests of the child while not mishandling confidential information.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in exploring means of information gathering specific to physical and mental health. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Jessica Keyes.

1. See generally, Indiana Trial Rules 33-36
2. See Indiana Admin. Rule 9

The newly revised Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines (herein, “IPTGs”) address several issues relating to parenting time in Indiana, and provide clarification for a number of scenarios to help parents best utilize their parenting time schedules.

The IPTGs are just that, a guide, and the parties can agree or be ordered to implement a different schedule or parenting time arrangement as necessary. However, in many cases, when an agreement cannot be reached, the IPTGs provide clarification.

The IPTGs provide guidance for topics including holidays, school breaks, children of different ages, activities, and many, many more. One topic and question that comes up fairly often in the practice of domestic law is when the child is very ill or has recently had surgery. What happens to regular parenting time then?

The IPTGs provide insight into this situation in the commentary to the Guidelines¹. Section (I)(C)(2) provides that: “Whenever there is a need to adjust the established parenting schedules because of events outside the normal family routine, the parent who becomes aware of the circumstance shall notify the other parent as far in advance as possible. Both parents shall then attempt to reach a mutually acceptable adjustment to the parenting schedule. If an adjustment results in one parent losing scheduled parenting time with the child, “make-up” time should be exercised as soon as possible. If the parents cannot agree on “make-up” time, the parent who lost the time shall select the “make-up” time within one month of the missed time.”

A common example of this in action is when a child requires a non-emergency tonsillectomy. The surgery is scheduled during Dad’s time, but recovery lasts into Mom’s time. Mom wishes to spend time with child during his/her recovery, and requests that the child have parenting time with her as usual.

However, because there is a surgery involved, moving the child from house to house may not be comfortable for the child. Also, the child may still be very tired from pain medications or otherwise, and moving the child for parenting time may be difficult. If the child is well enough that parenting time is appropriate, parenting time should likely occur. However, if the child is still very ill or recovering, the parent may miss their normal parenting time, and make up time may need to be scheduled.

The issue of major illness and surgery is difficult because often both parents want to be actively involved, and neither wants to miss parenting time with the child. Open communication regarding scheduling the surgery and possibly allowing the other parent to visit and bring ice cream or treats may make the issue run more smoothly. If parenting time is missed, work to make up that time, and hopefully, the child will be active and ready for fun again soon.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in understanding parenting time when a child is seriously ill or has recently had surgery. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Jessica Keyes.

1. See IPTG, Section (I)(C)(2), Commentary; http://www.in.gov/judiciary/rules/parenting/

In Indiana, children of parents who are divorced, or were never married are entitled to child support from both parents according to each parent’s respective income, the amount of time the child spends with each parent, and other factors.^1, 2 Child support is an obligation of both parents to the child until the child reaches the age of nineteen (19).³ Generally, the noncustodial parent pays child support payments to the custodial parent for his or her share of the child’s living and support expenses.

In addition to child support, Indiana law provides that parents may be ordered to share in the college expenses for the child.⁴ The Indiana courts have determined that a child support obligation and educational support for college are two separate and distinct orders. However, since the average child graduates high school around age 17 or 18, it is foreseeable that he or she would enroll in college, thereby triggering educational expenses at the same time that child support is still obligatory. Thus, a parent may face paying both child support and educational support at the same time.

When an educational support order is entered, the child support order must be reduced to ensure that support expenses are not duplicated (i.e. a parent that pays for room and board for a college dormitory via an educational support order should not also have to pay for the time the child is living in a dorm – and already paid – via a child support order).⁵ Therefore when educational support is ordered, child support should be adjusted to account for the time the child is living at home with the custodial parent versus the time the child is living away from home at school.

Additionally, educational support for college is not an automatic right for a child, unlike child support. Therefore, Indiana courts have held that “there is no absolute duty on a parent to send his or her child to college and that this must ordinarily be earned by the child himself.”⁶ Additionally, when a child has chosen to completely refuse a relationship with a parent, once an adult (18 years of age), that parent may raise the defense of “repudiation,” which, if proven would provide that the parent whom the child refuses a relationship is not obliged to pay for educational support expenses (he or she will still be required to pay child support).^7, 8

In a recent Court of Appeals case, Lovold v. Ellis, the court addressed the question of if the child has effectively chosen to refuse a relationship with the parent, and thus, the parent is not obligated to pay educational support for college, may the parent’s child support obligation still be offset as if an educational support order were in place? Meaning, should child support be reduced to account for the time the child is living away from the custodial parent’s home while at college?

The Court of Appeals held that the noncustodial parent is entitled to an adjustment to child support even if he or she is not obligated to pay for college expenses due to the child’s refusal to have a relationship with that parent. The Court of Appeals reasoned that by applying the same logic where an educational support order is entered and child support order is in place, the living expenses of the child should not be duplicated. Thereby, the Court reasoned that if the noncustodial parent did not get an offset on his or her child support obligation for the time the child was living away from the custodial parent’s home, essentially, that would make the theory under which the parent is not obligated to pay college expenses moot. Meaning, if child support is not adjusted, then the parent will still end up paying the living expenses of the child while the child is not living at home, but away at college.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in understanding the difference between a child support obligation and an educational expenses order, and how the two interact and interrelate. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Lori Schmeltzer.

1. I.C. 31-16-6-1. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title31/ar16/ch6.html.
2. Indiana Child Support Guidelines. http://www.in.gov/judiciary/rules/child_support/.
3. I.C. 31-16-6-6. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title31/ar16/ch6.html.
4. I.C. 31-16-6-2(a)(1). http://www.ai.org/legislative/ic/code/title31/ar16/ch6.html.
5. I.C. 31-16-6-2-(b)(1). http://www.ai.org/legislative/ic/code/title31/ar16/ch6.html.
6. McKay v. McKay, 644 N.E.2d 164, 167 (Ind.Ct.App.1994).
7. McKay v. McKay, 644 N.E.2d 164, 167 (Ind.Ct.App.1994).
8. Norris v. Pethe, 833 N.E.2d 1024, 1033 (Ind.Ct.App.2005).

Upon a finding of paternity or dissolution of marriage, child support calculations are one of the first orders of business for many parents. Determining who will have custody and how much support will be paid are determined, as family law matters are, by what is in the best interests of the child.

Child support is calculated using a specific formula, which takes into account many factors, including the gross weekly income of the parents, weekly work-related child care expenses, subsequent and prior children, and weekly health insurance costs for the child(ren)¹. The calculations are determined by the Indiana Child Support Guidelines².

One specific weekly cost that is often in contention in creating a child support worksheet is health care costs. If the parent providing health insurance for the child has employer-provided healthcare, it must be calculated what the cost is for the child(ren) only for child support purposes. Thus, often parents must contact their HR department through their employer for a breakdown of the insurance coverage.

Sometimes, the child(ren) are covered under Medicaid, and there is a nominal or no weekly payment for their health insurance coverage. In this case, the payment, if any, is included in the worksheet, and is credited to the parent who pays for same.

However, what if the child is not covered under employer-provided health insurance of a parent nor is receiving state assistance? Or, what if even employer-provided insurance is extremely expensive? The child support calculations calculate what a reasonable weekly fee for health insurance is. If this amount is not reasonable, the parent will not be forced to obtain this health insurance for the child.

Public policy strongly encourages children be covered by health insurance to protect them and provide medical treatment as necessary. Child support can be modified should health insurance become available and often, agreements or decrees note that should health insurance become available at a reasonable price, that same should be purchased for the children.

With the changing tides of the health care system, this issue may change in the next year or two. However, currently, unreasonably high health insurance costs are not required to cover children, pursuant to the calculations of the Indiana Child Support Guidelines. Understanding how child support is calculated and the breakdown of health care costs can be paramount to your child support matter.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in understanding the relationship between child support and children’s health insurance. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Jessica Keyes.

1. A child support calculator can be found online at: https://mycourts.in.gov/csc/parents/
2. http://www.in.gov/judiciary/rules/child_support/

Last week brought some devastating news headlines, from the Texas fertilizer plant explosion to the Boston Marathon bombing coverage.

News came on Friday that the remaining living brother of the duo the FBI suspects of committing the Boston Marathon bombing was taken into police custody. Since then, news stories have surfaced indicating that the police had decided not to give the suspect his Miranda Warnings.

Miranda warnings, which the public is often generally familiar with from television shows, such as cops, are required upon arrest of a criminal suspect. The Supreme Court did not specify the exact wording or even the ordering in which the rights must be read to a suspect; however, the Supreme Court did establish guidelines that police officers must be follow upon taking a suspect into custody. Generally the Miranda Warning is something similar to the following:

You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to consult with an attorney, you have the right to have an attorney present during questioning, and if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you.

This warning is given by police to criminal suspects taken into police custody before they are interrogated for the purpose of preserving admissibility of his or her statements against their own interest (i.e. confessing to a crime, or giving details of a crime only the person who committed it would know) in criminal proceedings. These warnings arose from the case of Miranda v. Arizona, decided in the United States Supreme Court in 1966.¹ This case addressed how to ensure a criminal suspect in police custody was informed of his constitutional rights under the 5^th Amendment during a custodial interrogation. The 5^th Amendment states in part that:

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; …²

While constitutional rights of course existed, at the time the Miranda case was decided, many people were uninformed, and often gave up his or her rights under the Constitution. The Miranda warnings were implemented to ensure that whenever a criminal suspect spoke to police while in custody, he or she was doing so willfully and knowingly.

The Miranda warnings have become a hotly debated topic this week in the news when the Boston Marathon bombing suspect was taken into custody and reports surfaced that the police had decided not to give the suspect his Miranda Warnings.³ The question is, how can this be so?

The police and FBI have elected to utilize the “Public Safety Exception” to the Miranda warnings requirement.⁴ This exception stemmed from the case New York v. Quarles.⁵ Basically, the police may question a criminal suspect, in custody, before giving him or her Miranda warnings so long as the questions are reasonably prompted by a concern for public safety, such as if the suspect may have knowledge of facts or circumstances that may pose an immediate risk of a safety concern for the public. For example, if the more bombs were planted to go off and harm other persons. Thus, the public safety exception does not create an unlimited interrogation exception to the Miranda warnings, but is narrowly tailored to address imminent public safety concerns.

Once the questions during the interrogation turn from questions involving the immediate safety of the public, to the crime already committed and possible exculpatory statements, the Miranda Warnings must be given if those statements may be admitted at trial later, as such questions fall outside the scope of the exception. A part of Ciyou & Dixon, P.C.’s focus is on education, and we hope this blog has made you a more informed citizen relative to the complex ways our constitution works relevant to societal needs.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in understanding the Miranda Warnings. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Lori Schmeltzer.

1. Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966)
2. http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am5.html
3. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/20/should-boston-bombing-suspect-get-a-miranda-warning-debate-follows-friday-capture/
4. http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/february2011/legal_digest
5. New York v. Quarles, 467 U.S. 649 (1984).

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in Connecticut, there has been a call from the general public, legislatures, and the President for stricter gun laws. Initially the debate centered around an assault weapons ban, similar to the ban of 1994, which lapsed in 2004.¹

This week has brought news headlines about the new proposed stricter gun laws on Capitol Hill. The issue of background checks, whether it is when a background check is required, or how in depth the background check is, has been hotly debated, possibly more so than the proposed assault weapons ban.²

Advocates of more background checks believe that requiring more background checks for firearms purchases would close some loopholes in the system that allow convicted felons, domestic abusers and the mentally ill to purchase firearms. The opposition has stated that more background checks are not a solution to the problem, would be ineffective, and would threaten the Constitutional Second Amendment right to gun ownership.³

Both sides of the aisle (Republican and Democrats) have come together to draft proposed legislation that would require expand full background checks for firearms purchases to include purchases made over the internet and at gun shows.⁴

It is believed that this agreement will spark a major Senate debate over the issue.

Recent national surveys indicate that 86% of Americans support some type of expansion of required background checks for firearms sale and purchase transactions. However, the question is where to draw the line. Some fear that more in depth background checks opens the door to a national firearms registry which would serve to limit legal ownership of firearms, and ultimately blur the constitutional lines. While others believe that the stricter background checks laws will do nothing to stop criminal from obtaining firearms, but instead place serious burdens on those attempting to obtain a firearm lawfully.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in understanding the current gun laws debates in Congress. We hope to keep you informed and updated as new legislation is proposed and/or passed. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Lori Schmeltzer.

1. https://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/billfs.txt
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/us/background-checks-still-stumbling-block-in-gun-law-overhaul.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
3. http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am2.html
4. http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/10/politics/congress-gun-laws/index.html

When custody and parenting time have been determined in a divorce or paternity action, a parenting time schedule is often put into place. Generally, a standard parenting time schedule when one parent has been granted primary or sole physical custody of a child over the age of three (3) is that the non-custodial parent will receive a midweek visitation (this may be overnight depending on the age of the child and the circumstances of the parents) and every other weekend from Friday evening to Sunday evening¹.

This schedule is a guideline, and can be adjusted according to what is best for the child and parties. For example, if Mother has an obligation each Tuesday evening or the child is in an activity that Father participates in on Thursdays, the parties may amend their parenting time schedule to accommodate these activities into the midweek.

Even with a detailed parenting time schedule, there are often occasions where the schedule must adapt to the lives of all parties and the child. The Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines (herein, “IPTG”) have anticipated several of these scenarios, and have included salutation into the guidelines.

One such topic is the opportunity for additional parenting time (formerly known as the right of first refusal). Pursuant to the recently amended IPTGs, if one parent is unable to care for the child during his or her parenting time, that parent shall first offer the other parent the opportunity for additional parenting time². So, for example, if Mother has a meeting on Saturday for several hours, before she drops the child off at the babysitter’s, she should contact Father to offer him that additional parenting time on Saturday.

The new IPTGs and commentary thereto now provide that if the child is being cared for by a household member of the parent needing childcare, this does not trigger the opportunity for additional time, but has defined what other persons may care for the child. Household members are defined as those who are related to the child by blood, marriage, or adoption³. So, in the above example, if Mother’s current husband (step-father) is available to watch the child on Saturday, the opportunity for additional parenting time is not triggered. However, if Mother’s boyfriend is the only one available to care for the child, Mother shall offer Father the opportunity for additional parenting time. The new definition also allows for grandparents who live in the household to care for the child, as they are related by blood.

Understanding the opportunity for additional parenting time and the persons who may provide childcare are important to maintaining a cohesive parenting time schedule. We hope that this blog post has been helpful in understanding the nuances of the opportunity for additional parenting time. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Jessica Keyes.

1. See Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines Section (II)(D)
2. See IPTG Section (I)(C)(3)
3. See IPTG Section (I)(C)(3) commentary

The appellate process can often seem elusive and might be considered by some to be “behind closed doors” because often, the appellate parties rarely appear before the Court of Appeals, and receive only a written opinion following their written briefs submitted to the higher appellate courts.

The appeals court process in different from the trial court process in several ways. The deadlines are different (and strict), the decision makers are different, and even the means of arguing is different. In appellate cases, a party wishing to appeal has only thirty (30) days to appeal a final order (there are generally different rules for interlocutory and administrative appeals, but these will not be explored in this blog post) ¹.

The document used to initiate an appeal is called a notice of appeal. Within the notice of appeal, the appellant (party appealing the final order) states what order is being appealed, when the order is from, out of what county the order originated, and if they have an attorney, who the attorney is for the appellant.

After the notice of appeal is filed, the appellant files a brief (written argument) of the issues, and the appellee (party responding) can reply to same. The appellant then gets a chance to reply to the appellee’s reply, and the appellee can then respond to appellant’s reply². In other words, the party who appeals get the last say. After the issue is fully briefed, the Court of Appeals issues its written opinion.

There is an extra step beyond this “basic” appeals process. If the parties request and/or the Court of Appeals orders, the parties may present oral arguments³. During this process, the attorneys or parties (if not represented by an attorney) present their arguments orally to the Court, providing the Court the chance to ask questions and clarify points⁴. This argument is generally how the unique facts of the case fit into the laws or how the should fit (a chance in the law may occur by an appeal).

For several years, the Court of Appeals has heard oral arguments at locations around the state of Indiana. Oral arguments have been held at high schools, colleges, and other locations around the state. Often, there is background information provided to the audience to bring them up to speed on the case, and provide the background for how the case has come to oral arguments. Then, the parties will present their oral arguments and the justices will ask their questions, allowing the audience to view how the process works, and how all the information has come together to allow the justices to make their decision.

Last year, oral arguments were heard at several locations across the state, including at law schools and high schools. This year, the traveling oral arguments (“Appeals on Wheels”) will again be heard throughout the state. Attending an oral argument heard near you may give you a new understanding and may “open the door” to the process⁵. Often, after arguments are heard, the justices will answer questions and explain further their processes and how they will use the information in the matter. As a party involved in an appeal or just engaged citizen, this unique opportunity is one we encourage you to be involved with to learn what you dedicated court of appeals judges do for you and your fellow Hoosiers involved in litigation that reaches and appeals. The Indiana Court of Appeals is one of the most efficient courts in the United States.

We hope that this blog post has given you a better understanding of the appellate process and how oral arguments can help educate about the appeals process as a whole. Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. practices throughout the state of Indiana. This blog post was written by attorney, Jessica Keyes.

1. Indiana Rules of Appellate Procedure 9
2. See generally, Indiana Rules of Appellate Procedure 43-46
3. Indiana Rules of Appellate Procedure 52
4. See Indiana Rules of Appellate Procedure 53
5. See the website for the Court of Appeals Traveling Arguments