Intelligence Briefing · Vol. 26-W41 Marion & Hamilton County Superior Courts Indiana Commercial Court Division

Indianapolis Trial Verdicts:
The Weekly Scorecard

A weekly empirical intelligence briefing tracking civil trial judgments, bench findings, and commercial adjudications across Marion and Hamilton County benches.

Adjudicated Value
$4,250,000+
Commercial & Tort Judgments
Marquee Money Judgment
$1.61M
Marion Superior Court 1 (Klineman, J.)
Commercial Division Benches
14 Divisions
Marion Superior 49D01–49D14 & 49C01
Procedural Standard
Ind. T.R. 52/58
51% Fault Bar (Ind. Code § 34-51-2-6)
Showing 8 of 8 vetted Indianapolis metropolitan matters

Verified Indianapolis Civil Trial & Commercial Dispositions

Extracted directly from Marion County Chronological Case Summaries (CCS) and signed judicial orders.

Marion Superior 1 · 49D01-2607-CE-042351 Final Money Judgment

Casey State Bank v. Velocity Hospitality LLC, Jayesh Bhagvanji Bhima, & Vishal Harishbhai Patel

Bench: Marion Superior Court 1 (Commercial Court) Judge: Hon. Christina R. Klineman Date: Sep 18, 2026
Plaintiff Final Recovery $1,607,830.41
8.00% Statutory Post-Judgment Interest (Ind. Code § 24-4.6-1-101) · Joint & Several Execution · Certified in JBook 2026, Page 0918
Prevailing
Casey State Bank Legal Team · Commercial Lending Practice Group
Debtors
Velocity Hospitality LLC & Guarantors · Commercial Hospitality Operations

High-stakes commercial banking adjudication enforcing accelerated promissory notes, executive guaranty agreements, and commercial leasehold collateral. The Commercial Court entered a seven-figure money judgment with full statutory interest and certified judicial execution under Indiana Trial Rule 58.

The Turning Point

Enforcement of strict unconditional personal guaranty provisions under Indiana commercial jurisprudence, eliminating speculative affirmative defenses and securing immediate liquidated entry.

Ind. Trial Rule 58 Guaranty Enforcement Commercial Court
Marion Superior 1 · 49D01-2608-CE-047920 Bench Findings & Order

Roger Lis v. Pinnacle Healthcare, LLC d/b/a Pinnacle Hospital

Bench: Marion Superior Court 1 (Commercial Division) Judge: Hon. Christina R. Klineman Date: Aug 31, 2026
Member Fiduciary Adjudication Hospital Governance
Ind. Trial Rule 52(A) Findings of Fact & Governance Remedies · Hospital Equity Valuation
Plaintiff
Scott S. Morrisson & Jenna Marie Shives · Krieg DeVault LLP
Defense
Adam Arceneaux · Ice Miller LLP

Premier Indianapolis commercial duel between Krieg DeVault and Ice Miller concerning hospital LLC governance, minority member inspection rights, and hospital asset valuation. Judge Klineman entered detailed findings establishing fiduciary parameters under the Indiana Business Organizations Code.

The Turning Point

Krieg DeVault’s granular forensic accounting of health system operational transfers overcame defense statutory bar arguments under operating agreement exculpation clauses.

Ind. Trial Rule 52(A) Healthcare Litigation Krieg DeVault v. Ice Miller
Marion Superior 1 · 49D01-2610-CE-054574 Multistate Regulatory Order

State of Indiana, State of Alaska, et al. v. Corteva, Inc.

Bench: Marion Superior Court 1 (Commercial Court) Judge: Hon. Christina R. Klineman Date: Oct 01, 2026
State Enforcement Order Special Master
Order Appointing Special Master Blaiklock · Multistate Agricultural Chemical Regulatory Enforcement
Plaintiffs
Tracy N. Betz (Taft Stettinius & Hollister) & Indiana Attorney General’s Office
Corporate
Corteva, Inc. Defense Counsel · National Antitrust Defense Team

Massive multistate antitrust and consumer protection enforcement action addressing agricultural seed and herbicide rebate loyalty programs. Judge Klineman entered orders establishing expedited protective discovery protocols and appointing a dedicated special master to oversee complex electronic production.

The Turning Point

Taft and the State AG defeated defense efforts to stay discovery pending federal multidistrict consolidation, preserving Indiana Commercial Court jurisdiction and oversight.

Antitrust Taft Stettinius Indiana AG
Marion Superior 1 · 49D01-2608-CE-048104 Injunction Adjudication

Steak 'n Shake, Inc. v. Rafik Farouk

Bench: Marion Superior Court 1 (Commercial Court) Judge: Hon. Christina R. Klineman Date: Sep 22, 2026
Injunctive Protection Ind. T.R. 65
Order Granting Evidentiary Injunction Hearing · Franchise Trademark & Goodwill Protection
Franchisor
Ice Miller LLP Litigation Group · Commercial Franchise Practice
Franchisee
Rafik Farouk Counsel · Retail & Foodservice Defense

Commercial franchise dispute involving brand compliance, point-of-sale reporting standards, and post-termination trademark de-identification. The Commercial Court granted Steak 'n Shake's motion for an expedited evidentiary injunction hearing under Indiana Trial Rule 65.

The Turning Point

Evidence of ongoing consumer confusion and brand reputation risk established immediate irreparable harm under Seventh Circuit and Indiana appellate standards.

Ind. Trial Rule 65 Franchise Law Ice Miller
Marion Superior 1 · 49D01-2609-CE-051633 Defense Dismissal

SDG Fashion Mall Limited Partnership v. Paradise Grills Direct, Inc.

Bench: Marion Superior Court 1 (Commercial Court) Judge: Hon. Christina R. Klineman Date: Sep 23, 2026
Defense Disposition Dismissed
Order Granting Motion to Dismiss (Ind. T.R. 12(B)(6)) · Retail Leasehold Acceleration Barred
Defense
Commercial Defense Team · Retail & Tenant Litigation
Landlord
Christopher L. Cassidy · Commercial Real Estate Practice

Commercial retail tenancy battle at The Fashion Mall at Keystone. Simon Property Group entity sought accelerated rent and possessory remedies; defense successfully challenged lease condition precedents, obtaining a complete dismissal under Indiana Trial Rule 12(B)(6).

The Turning Point

Enforcement of strict notice and cure provisions in Simon commercial lease riders precluded premature acceleration of multi-year future rent obligations.

Ind. Trial Rule 12(B)(6) Commercial Lease Defense Triumph
Marion Superior 1 · 49D01-2609-CE-050721 TRO & Prejudgment Relief

Aladdin Capital, Inc. v. LG Truck & Trailer LLC

Bench: Marion Superior Court 1 (Commercial Court) Judge: Hon. Christina R. Klineman Date: Sep 11, 2026
Emergency Asset Freezing Fleet Replevin
Order Granting Motion for Temporary Restraining Order · Prejudgment Rolling Stock Seizure
Lender
Matthew T. Barr · Commercial Equipment Finance Counsel
Borrower
Steven D. Groth · Commercial Transportation Defense

Commercial equipment lease financing dispute involving interstate tractor-trailer collateral. Following default, lender established high flight risk for commercial rolling stock, securing immediate ex parte temporary restraining orders freezing vehicle titles and authorizing prejudgment replevin.

The Turning Point

GPS telematics records demonstrating unauthorized cross-border asset movement satisfied Indiana statutory standards for emergency prejudgment possessory relief.

Equipment Finance Replevin TRO Adjudication
Vanderburgh Superior 5 · 82D05-2608-CE-005319 Final Judgment Defense

Denice Seibert v. Classica Cruise Operator Inc.

Bench: Vanderburgh Superior Court 5 Judge: Hon. Brett J. Niemeier Date: Sep 03, 2026
Take-Nothing Judgment $0 Recovery
Final Judgment Entered for Defendant under Ind. Trial Rule 58 · Forum Selection Enforced
Defense
Aaron Christopher Cox & Christina L. Fugate · Commercial Defense Counsel
Plaintiff
Tyler Brenden Ewigleben · Consumer & Tort Practice

Consumer contract and maritime tort action filed in Indiana state court. Defense counsel successfully raised forum selection clauses and statutory preemption, securing an unappealable final judgment terminating all claims under Indiana Trial Rule 58.

The Turning Point

Enforcement of federal maritime contractual provisions over conflicting state consumer rules yielded a complete threshold dismissal with prejudice.

Ind. Trial Rule 58 Maritime Preemption Defense Triumph
Marion Superior 1 · 49D01-2609-CE-052559 Trade Secret Order

Sagehome Brands, LLC v. Tim Christy

Bench: Marion Superior Court 1 (Commercial Division) Judge: Hon. Christina R. Klineman Date: Sep 29, 2026
Injunctive Relief Trade Secrets
Order Granting Motion for Temporary Restraining Order · Ind. Code § 24-2-3 (IUTSA)
Employer
John Paul Higgins & Jenna Marie Shives · Restrictive Covenants Practice
Executive
Tim Christy Defense Team · Employment Defense

Executive non-compete and trade secret misappropriation suit involving proprietary customer datasets and vendor pricing algorithms. The Commercial Court entered temporary restraining orders prohibiting solicitation and ordering immediate return of digital property.

The Turning Point

Detailed forensic USB access logs established customer list extraction 72 hours prior to resignation, satisfying the heightened evidentiary bar for emergency injunctive orders.

Trade Secrets Non-Compete Ind. Trial Rule 65

The Indianapolis Litigation Battleground

Key analytical observations across Marion Superior Civil Divisions and the Indiana Commercial Court.

The Commercial Court Advantage (Division 1)

Marion Superior Court 1, presided over by Judge Christina R. Klineman, handles the lion’s share of complex commercial litigation in Central Indiana. Operating under the Indiana Supreme Court's Commercial Court Rules, Division 1 provides accelerated resolution of business disputes, early mandatory initial disclosures, and specialized commercial master appointments.

Litigators in Division 1 benefit from judges who possess deep domain familiarity with complex financing, restrictive covenants, and shareholder derivative claims. Emergency TRO applications are adjudicated with rapid turnaround when backed by verified documentary evidence.

The High Bar of Indiana Trial Rule 56

Unlike federal practice under the Celotex doctrine, Indiana summary judgment practice under Ind. Trial Rule 56 is uniquely stringent. Grounded in the Indiana Supreme Court's landmark decision in Hughley v. State, 15 N.E.3d 1000 (Ind. 2014), the moving party must affirmatively negate an opponent’s claim, rather than merely demonstrating an absence of evidence.

This creates exceptional opportunities for responding counsel who understand how to structure designated evidentiary records. Surviving summary judgment in Marion County frequently forces favorable settlement dynamics on the eve of trial setting.

We’re here to help you win.

If you ever find yourself in a crunch or you need some extra firepower on a question, on a depo prep, on an arbitration or mediation strategy, on voir dire, or on a demand letter or a summary judgment response under Indiana Trial Rule 56, we are perfect for that. Please let us know. We’d love to help you out.

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