The Indiana Law Review would like to extend its sincere congratulations and admiration for our very own Senior Executive Editor, Colleen Morrison, as well as the entire IU McKinney Appellate Clinic and Professor Schumm, on their hard work and dedication regarding their recent case, B.R. v. State! We are extremely proud of their commitment and perseverance, and to have Colleen as a member of our Executive Board.
IU McKinney’s Appellate Clinic won a reversal in a case involving a juvenile who had been accused of what would have been carrying a handgun without a license for an adult. Colleen Morrison, a 3L, and Professor Joel Schumm, ’98, worked on the case as part of the clinic in Fall 2020.
The case, B.R. v. State, is out of Marion County. B.R., driving a vehicle the juvenile didn’t own, was stopped for a traffic violation. The police officer smelled marijuana and searched the vehicle. The officer found a handgun in a hidden compartment in the dashboard. B.R. was adjudicated for acts that if committed by an adult would be carrying a handgun without a license. The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed that decision.
Morrison was thrilled with the result for B.R. “In the clinic, the ultimate hope is not to get an ‘A,’ but to secure a favorable outcome for your client, and to be able to do just that is exactly what I wanted as my experience working for the clinic,” she said. “If you read the facts of the case, our client was in a truly unfortunate position so to receive an opinion from the Indiana Court of Appeals in his favor feels like perfect justice.”
Morrison comes from a family of service – with loved ones serving in the military, as teachers, and working for non-profit organizations. She will be the first lawyer in her family and has accepted a position at a civil litigation firm in downtown Indianapolis after she completes her legal education.
“After working with Colleen on her law review note last year, I was delighted when she applied for the Appellate Clinic,” Professor Schumm said. “I knew she had excellent research and writing skills, but she delivered so much more in the clinic in telling a compelling and empathetic story of our 17-year-old client. With a slowdown or pause on trials with the COVID-19 pandemic, I was worried we would not be able to offer the Appellate Clinic this Fall, but the Marion County Public Defender Agency was able to provide us with three cases, including this one. Although Colleen was assigned this case, the Appellate Clinic is highly collaborative with each student reading and discussing the trial transcripts and drafts of briefs in every case.”
News article – https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/news/releases/2021/02/iu-mckinneys-appellate-clinic-wins-case-for-client.html
More about the IU McKinney Appellate Clinic – https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/practice/clinics/course-list/appellate.html
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