Appeals on Wheels brings court case to the public in Culver

The Court of Appeals of Indiana's award-winning civics education outreach program, Appeals on Wheels, is coming to Marshall County Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

The event will be held at the Culver Academies Memorial Legion Building.   

A panel of judges, Judge Pyle, Judge Tavitas, and Senior Judge Baker, will hear live, in-person arguments in Brent T. Willis v. State of Indiana. 

The case synopsis states, On Sept. 28, 2023, Brent Willis attended a golf outing in Indianapolis, where he consumed alcoholic beverages. Afterward, he traveled toward Lafayette, Indiana.  While speeding, he disregarded a stop sign and collided with another car carrying three people.  Two occupants in the other vehicle were killed, and the third was severely injured. 

Subsequent blood testing revealed that Mr. Willis had an alcohol concentration equivalent (ACE) of .248, which is above the legal limit of .08. Willis was charged with eight felony criminal offenses, which included operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, causing death, and reckless homicide. 

Willis pled guilty to each offense, and an aggregate sentence of 28 years was imposed, with 24 years to be executed in the Indiana Department of Correction and four years suspended to probation. 

In this Appeal on Wheels hearing, Willis argues that the trial court abused its discretion in imposing his sentence and that his sentence is inappropriate.

The event is open to the public, and the audience will have the opportunity to ask the judges questions about the judiciary following the argument; however, they are not permitted to discuss the specific case.

The Court of Appeals of Indiana is the second-highest court in the state, hearing appeals from Indiana's trial courts and some state agencies.

The 15 judges of the court issue over 2,000 opinions per year.