A recent Indiana Court of Appeals decisions held that both a borrower’s knowledge of a lender’s claim against him and service at the borrower’s parents’ house, when borrower did not reside at the residence, were insufficient to confer personal jurisdiction over the borrower. In Norris v. Personal Finance, 957 N.E.…
Indiana Business Lawyer Blog
Indiana Employment Law and Indiana Corporate LawCorporation Mergers and Acquisitions May Subject Companies to I-9 Sanctions By: Jeremy L. Fetty
During a corporate merger or acquisition, companies should inspect the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form policies of the soon-to-be merged or acquired company, as failure to do so may expose the company to fines and penalties from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since November 6, 1986, employers have been required…
City Negligence for Property Damage from Sewer Defects UnlikelyBy: Jeremy L. Fetty
The Indiana Court of Appeals recently handed down two decisions regarding the liability of a city or municipality for damage caused to real and personal property as the result of a sewer defect. The cases examine when a city or municipality may be held liable for sewer malfunctions that cause…
Indiana Creditor’s Laws New Indiana Case Clarifying Notices of Sheriff’s Sale By: Jeremy L. Fetty
In Surrisi v. Bremner, a 2011 Indiana Court of Appeals decision, the court held the Bill of Sale issued to the buyer (Bremner) invalid, as the Bill of Sale named business personal property which was not included in the Notice of Sheriff’s Sale. Bremner, a creditor of the sellers (Surrisis),…
Attention: Parr Richey Obremskey Frandsen & Patterson LLP Business Law Clients
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced in a final rule in August a new poster requirement for both union and non-union employers that communicates employees’ rights to organize. Although originally effective November 14, 2011, the NLRB has delayed the implementation of this requirement until January 31, 2012 due to…
Pole Inspection Contracts — Beware!
Many co-ops use outside companies for pole testing and inspection. These companies often propose a form agreement with “standard” terms. Pricing is sometimes addressed in a separate letter with the base agreement remaining in effect for years. Beware of standard terms proposed by some companies. For example, the contract utilized…
Indiana Municipal Law – Clarification on the Requirements of a Public Lawsuit By: Jeremy L. Fetty
The Indiana Court of Appeals clarified the requirements necessary for a lawsuit to be considered a public lawsuit in Buse v. Trustees of the Luce Township Regional Sewer District, 953 N.E.2d 519 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011). In this case, a group of property owners filed suit against the Spencer County…
Indiana Municipal Law – Update on the Specificity Required in Zoning DecisionsBy: Jeremy L. Fetty
The specificity requirements of Indiana zoning decisions were discussed in The Kroger Co. v. Plan Commission of Plainfield, 953 N.E.2d 536 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011). In that case, Kroger wanted to construct a gas station next to its retail store. Kroger submitted a zoning petition seeking approval to begin construction,…
Clarification of the Administrative Employee Exemption of the FLSA
Recently in a Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals case, Verkuilen v. Mediabank, LLC, the court analyzed the administrative employee exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). 646 F.3d 979 (7th Cir. 2011). Penny Verkuilen was an account manager for Mediabank, which “provides computer software to advertising agencies.” An account…
We’re Watching: Employees May Be Lawfully Terminated for Facebook Comments
This past summer, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) issued a series of decisions regarding whether employees were unlawfully discharged for making comments about their employment on Facebook. In all of the cases, the NLRB determined that the employees’ comments were not protected under the National Labor Relations Act. In…