Court Opinion

ID: 9709509
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 03:49:13.560465+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:49.582178
License: Public Domain

CHIPMAN, Presiding Judge,
concurring.
I concur with the results reached by the majority in this case, but disagree with their interpretation of IC 1971 34-4-16.5-17 which reads as follows:
A claim or suit settled by, or a judgment rendered against, a governmental entity shall be paid by it not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after settlement or judgment, unless there is an appeal, in which ease not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after a final decision is rendered. If payment is not made within one hundred eighty (180) days, the governmental entity is liable for interest from the date of settlement or judgment at an annual rate of eight percent (8%). (emphasis added)
The majority interpret that portion of IC 1971 34-4-16.5-17 which refers to a final decision as meaning the denial by the Supreme Court of appellant’s petition to transfer.
It is my opinion that the “final decision” in this case was the opinion by the Court of Appeals and occurred on the date its opinion was handed down.
The basis for my opinion is found in Rule 11(B) of the Rules of Appellate Procedure which reads in part as follows:
(3) The opinion or memorandum decision of the Court of Appeals shall be final except where a petition to transfer has been granted by the Supreme Court. If transfer be granted, the judgment and opinion or memorandum decision of the Court of Appeals shall thereupon be vacated and held for naught, and the Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction of the appeal as if originally filed therein, and all the records, briefs and files of said cause on appeal shall be transferred to the Supreme Court.
(4) The denial of a petition to transfer shall have no legal effect other than to terminate the litigation between the parties in the Supreme Court, (emphasis added)
Examining the wording of IC 1971 34-4-16.5-17 in conjunction with A.R. 11(B), it would appear logical that if the State of Indiana is to avoid being taxed interest on a *184judgment rendered under the Tort Claims Act it must pay the judgment and court costs within one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the opinion by the Indiana Court of Appeals. This recognizes the fact that there may be instances in which the State elects to seek transfer from an adverse opinion of the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court may not decide whether to grant or deny transfer within the one hundred eighty (180) days.
In the case at bar the Clerk of the Supreme and Appellate Courts’ records indicate that the opinion of the Court of Appeals was dated September 15, 1977. The Supreme Court denied transfer on February 21,1978 and the State paid the judgment in full on March 10, 1978, one hundred seventy-six (176) days after the opinion of the Court of Appeals. If the State had paid the judgment later than one hundred eighty (180) days from September 15, 1977, I would have dissented to the majority opinion.