News Archive

Professor Joel Schumm, ’98, and certified legal intern Danielle Teagarden, ’14, won a less restrictive probation condition for their client who had been charged with battery following an incident at an Indianapolis bus stop.

In the Court of Appeals opinion, written by Chief Judge Nancy Vaidik, the court agreed with Teagarden’s assertion that the probation condition wasn’t related to the client’s mental health treatment or public safety, and therefore was unreasonable.

“I was impressed with how Professor Schumm approached this case with me as well as the cases handled by Shea Thompson and Matthew Hayes, the other Appellate Clinic student participants this semester,” Teagarden said. “ Professor Schumm was an excellent mentor and made sure we had guidance when we needed it, while letting us take the lead in evaluating which issues we thought were worth appealing and exactly how we wanted to go about presenting those issues. I was also grateful that the Appellate Division at the Marion County Public Defender Agency gave all of us the chance to moot our briefs with them, incorporating their valuable feedback into our arguments.”

Teagarden is moving to Seattle and joining the firm Reiser Legal, a small firm that focuses on alcoholic beverage law, primarily representing craft breweries. She currently edits the firm’s Brewery Law Blog.

“I feel confident that my experience through the Appellate Clinic has prepared me to be a strong advocate for our clients' interests,” Teagarden said. “What's more, a good portion of my future practice will involve trademark law, which will frequently draw on the appellate skills I learned through working closely with Professor Schumm. I don't anticipate handling criminal law issues through my primary practice areas. However, I can say that my experiences through the clinic and as a Certified Legal Intern at the Marion County Public Defender Agency have inspired me to keep seeking out pro bono opportunities to help with indigent criminal appeals.”