Areas of Practice
Automobile Accidents
Semi-Truck Accidents
Wrongful Death
Motorcycle Accidents
Moped Accidents
Dog Bites
Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Construction Injuries
Pedestrian Accidents
Bus Crashes
Three-Wheeler, Four Wheeler and ATV Accidents
Airplane/Boat/Train Crashes
Birth Injuries
Nursing Home Injuries
Pharmacy Mistakes
Burns/Fires/Explosions
Dismemberment
Slip and Fall
Drowning
School and Playground Injuries
Sex Abuse at School/Daycare
Daycare Injuries
Defective Products
Civil Rights/Police Misconduct
Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist Claims
Insurance Bad Faith
Insurance Claims
Felonies
Misdemeanors
Drunk Driving/OWI/DUI
Minor Consumption
Driving While Suspended/Without a License
Marijuana/All Other Drug Offenses
Battery
Domestic Battery
Criminal Confinement
Disorderly Conduct
Robbery
Theft
Sex Crimes
Trespass
Arson
Firearm Offenses
Forgery
Fraud
Homicide  Murder/Manslaughter
Habitual Traffic Violator
Traffic Offenses
Bond Reduction
Bar Admissions
Indiana, 2003
U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana, 2003
U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, 2003
U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit, 2004
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2003
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2005
U.S. Supreme Court, 2006
Education
Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Indiana
J.D. - 2002
Honors: Special Commendation for Pro Bono Externship
Honors: Honor Papers in Pretrial Skills and Advanced Appellate Advocacy
Law Review: Valparaiso University Law Review, Associate Editor
Indiana University - Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana
B.A. - 1998
Honors: Dean's List (4 Semesters)
Major: English Literature
Minor: History
Published Works
"Failing to Provide Police Protection: Breeding a Viable and Consistent 'State-Created Danger' Analysis for Establishing Constitutional Violations Under Section 1983", 37 Valparaiso University Law Review 1, Fall, 2002
"Preparing Your Client for Deposition Testimony", American Bar Association - The Young Lawyer, July/August, 2005
"How to Deal With an Objection of Privilege Based on Indiana's Peer Review Statute During the Course of Pre-Trial Discovery", Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, VERDICT, 2005
"And Just Where Do You Think You're Going?": Police Detention of Passenger Who Walks Away From Vehicle During Traffic Stop, Res Gestae, March, 2006
"Indiana's New 'Communication of Sympathy' Statute: Saying 'I'm Sorry' In the Context of Medical Malpractice and Other Personal Injury Accidents", Indiana Lawyer, (Vol. 17, No. 8) June/July, 2006
"Groundless Cases Still Get Into Court", Indiana Lawyer (Featured Interview), (Vol. 17, No. 10) July/August, 2006
"A Brief Review of What Types of Claims Fall Within and Outside the Scope of Indiana's Medical Malpractice Act", Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, VERDICT, 2006
"A Modest Proposal: Submitting a Joint Discovery Plan In Federal Court", American Bar Association - The Young Lawyer, September, 2006
"Waiver of Right Forms Under Miranda: Not a Ritual of Words to be Recited by Rote According to Didactic Niceties", Open Court, Newsletter of the Criminal Justice Section, Indiana State Bar Association, Vol. XI, No. 1, December, 2006
"Recovering Damages for Tortious Injury to Historic Buildings and Other 'Special Purpose' Property In Indiana: Drawing the Line Between Fair Market Value and Cost Repair' In Cases of Permanent Damage", Res Gestae, December, 2006
"A Case of Bad Breath: Does the Odor of an Alcoholic Beverage, By Itself, Establish Probable Cause for a Police Officer to Offer Chemical Test In the Context of DWI Offenses?", Open Court, Newsletter of the Criminal Justice Section, Indiana State Bar Association, Vol. XII, No. 1, May, 2007
"Supreme Court Clarifies Five Exceptions to Nonliability Involving Personal Injury Claims Asserted by a Contractor's Employee", Indiana Civil Litigation Review (publication of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana), Vol. 3, No. 2, May, 2007
"Brendlin v. California: Supreme Court Holds That a Passenger Is "Seized" for Fourth Amendment Purposes and Can Challenge Legality of a Traffic Stop", Open Court, Newsletter of the Criminal Justice Section, Indiana State Bar Association, Vol. XII, No. 2, October, 2007
"The Attorney Commitment In Traumatic Brain Injury Cases", American Bar Association - The Young Lawyer, November, 2007
"Federal Preemption of State Law Claims Involving Class III Medical Devices", Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Trial Journal, Vol. 10, No. 1, Winter, 2007
"Calm the Child Witness", TRIAL, Journal of the American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association), February, 2008
"Coughing It Up: Indiana Supreme Court Holds That Police Chokeholds Are Unreasonable Searches and Seizures", Open Court, Newsletter of the Criminal Justice Section, Indiana State Bar Association, Vol. XIII, No. 1, February, 2008
"Reducing the State's Cut: Amending Indiana's Split-Award Statute In Punitive Damage Cases", The Indiana Litigator, Newsletter of the Litigation Section, Indiana State Bar Association, Summer, 2008
"Representing Children In Cases Involving Wrongful Death of a Parent", Res Gestae, July/August, 2008
"Estoppel to Extend Insurance Coverage Based on Bad Faith", Indiana Civil Litigation Review (publication of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana), Vol 5., No. 2, November, 2008
"Holding a Surgeon Liable for Medical Negligence of Another Under the 'Captain-of-the Ship' Doctrine", Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, VERDICT, 2010
"Recovery for Separate Acts of Negligence Under Indiana Medical Malpractice Act", Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, VERDICT, 2011
Representative Cases
Richard v. State, 820 N.E.2d 749 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005)
Masick v. McColly Realtors, Inc. and Saxon Drywall, 858 N.E.2d 682 (Ind. Ct. App. 2006)
Cincinnati Insurance Co. v. Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex, Inc., et al., 2006 WL 299064 (N.D. Ind. 2006)
Ryan-Louie v. DeFazio, 2007 WL 433067 (N.D. Ind. 2007)
Wheeler v. Lawson, 2007 WL 844870 (N.D. Ind. 2007)
Walker v. Martin, et al., 862 N.E.2d 330 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Beatty v. Martin, et al., 868 N.E.2d 73 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Bob Anderson Pontiac d/b/a Mike Anderson Chevrolet of Merrillville, Inc. v. Indiana Department of Workforce Development, 867 N.E.2d 282 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Cincinnati Insurance Co. v. Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex, Inc., et al., 2007 WL 2609829 (N.D. Ind. 2007)
Putman v. Lima Auto Mall, Inc., 2008 WL 2444677 (N.D. Ind. 2008)
Wheeler v. Lawson, 539 F.3d 629 (7th Cir. 2008)
Hunt v. State, 902 N.E.2d 911 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009)
Hartoin v. State, 908 N.E.2d 711 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009)
Robinson v. State, 910 N.E.2d 270 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009)
Miller v. State, 916 N.E.2d 193 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009)
Bell v. State, 915 N.E.2d 1048 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009)
Holmes v. State, 923 N.E.2d 479 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010)
Van Orden v. State, 924 N.E.2d 226 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010)
Miller v. State, 924 N.E.2d 680 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010)
Patterson v. State, 926 N.E.2d 90 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010)
Skinner v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company d/b/a Metlife, 2010 WL 2175834 (N.D. Ind. 2010)
State ex rel. Berkshire v. City of Logansport, 928 N.E.2d 587 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010)
Snowberger v. State, 938 N.E.2d 294 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010)
Fording v. State, 941 N.E.2d 565 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Rush v. State, 941 N.E.2d 569 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Ogle v. State, 943 N.E.2d 445 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Vazquez v. State, 944 N.E.2d 10 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Miller v. State, 944 N.E.2d 578 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Crowder v. State, 945 N.E.2d 829 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Justice v. State, 946 N.E.2d 93 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Downs v. State, 950 N.E.2d 376 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Patton v. State, , 972 N.E.2d 418 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012)
Barrett v. City of Logansport, et al., 961 N.E.2d 70 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012)
Mateo v. State, 974 N.E.2d 602 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012)
State v. Gonzalez-Vazquez, 984 N.E.2d 704 (Ind. Ct. App 2013)
Lewis v. New Prime Inc, No. 1:10-cv-1228-WSD (N.D. Ga.  Atlanta Div. 2013)
Phillips v. Mills, 42 N.E.3d 174 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015)
Vance v. Phillips, 42 N.E.3d 174 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015)
Torres-Reynoso v. State, 42 N.E.3d 586 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015)
Classes/Seminars
Featured Speaker, "Civil Rights and DWI", Crown Point, Indiana, 2004
Lecturer, Topics In Medical Malpractice Law, Health Careers Exploration Class, Century Career Center, Logansport High School, 2006
Honors and Awards
Honors Paper in Pretrial Skills, Criminal Pleadings and Advanced Appellate Advocacy
Ranked upper 1/3 in Legal Writing and Research
Special Commendation for 41 hours of Pro Bono Externship
Harrison Legal Writing Award (First-Place Recipient), 2006
Harrison Legal Writing Award (Second-Place Recipient), 2008
Award, Rue Ratings’ Best Attorneys of America
Award, “Top 10 Under 40” in Indiana, National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys
Professional Associations and Memberships
Cass County Bar Association, Member
Indiana State Bar Association, Member
Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, Member
American Association of Justice, Member
The National Trial Lawyers, Member
Brain Injury Association of Indiana, Member
Civil Justice Foundation, Member
Open Court, Newsletter of the Criminal Justice Section - Indiana State Bar Association, Editor, 2007 - 2008
Logansport-Cass County Chamber of Commerce, Member
Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Life Member
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Life Member
Elite Lawyers of America, Life Member
National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, Member
Rue Ratings’ Best Attorneys of America, Member
Cass Circuit Court, Judge, pro tempore, 2009
Pro Bono Activities
Participant, Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee, Literacy Volunteers of Cass County, 2005
Judge, Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee, Literacy Volunteers of Cass County, 2006
Chief Organizer and Tour Guide, Law Day at Cass County Courthouse, 2006
Member, Cass County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee, 2008
Volunteer, Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser, 2008
Tour Guide, Law Day at Cass County Courthouse, 2008
Board of Directors, Cass County Historical Society, 2010 - 2011
Founder, Indiana State Trooper Daniel R. Barrett Memorial Scholarship
Practice Areas
Personal Injury
Criminal Defense
Civil Case Results
Criminal Case Results
Giving Back