On October 2, 2026, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the Harrison Circuit Court must award Jeremy Willis $20,840 for the portion of his property seized to upgrade State Road 11. The decision came after INDOT filed a condemnation suit on January 12, 2025, following Willis’s rejection of an initial offer. Special Judge Justin Mills rejected Willis’s challenge, ordered mediation, and scheduled a hearing on potential sanctions.
The appraisal report was submitted on March 25, 2026, and the parties had 45 days to file written exceptions. The statutory deadline of May 11, 2026, passed without any exceptions from either side. Chief Justice Loretta Rush, writing for the unanimous Court, held that Indiana law makes an appraiser’s award conclusive when no timely exceptions are filed, and that the mediation order did not suspend the deadline.
Justice Geoffrey Slaughter and Justice Derek Molter dissented, arguing that INDOT could have pursued an appellate remedy under Rule 14(B). They contended that the Court should have allowed the case to proceed through mediation or appeal.
The Court’s order compels the Harrison Circuit Court to withdraw its mediation directive, enter judgment, and release the $20,840 to Willis, effectively closing the appropriation case. Willis, who has lived on the land since 1990, said the money will help his family rebuild after years of uncertainty. No rehearing or reconsideration will be permitted under the applicable rules.