Updates to our Terms of Use

We are updating our Terms of Use. Please carefully review the updated Terms before proceeding to our website.

Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

School Board Can Have 3 Members From 1 District

(CN) - An Indianapolis school board is allowed to have three at-large members from the same board district, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled.

Clarke Campbell appealed the trial court's ruling, which validated the May 2008 school board election. Elizabeth Gore defeated Campbell for his at-large seat.

Also, Michael Cohen defeated Leroy Robinson, knocking another incumbent out of his at-large seat. Both at-large seats were on the line in the same year due to a retirement.

Campbell complained the school board violated the law by allowing District 3 to be overrepresented by Cohen, Gore, and its district representative, Kelley Bentley.

Judge Matthias agreed with the trial court that the election results should stand.

"Our conclusion is consistent with the governing rule in Indiana that in the absence of fraud, election statutes generally will be liberally construed to guarantee to the elector an opportunity to freely cast his ballot," Matthias wrote.

"We cannot agree with Campbell's assertion that geographic diversity should prevail over the will over the electorate," the judge added.

Categories / Uncategorized

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Loading...