Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis
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NewsCase Argued by Appellate Clinic Law Student Reversed by Indiana Supreme Court On April 8, 2009, the Indiana Supreme Court reversed a conviction for resisting law enforcement in Jeffrey Graham v. State, a case argued before the court in December of last year by Jonathan Bont (3L). Bont ’s argument was part of his Appellate Clinic experience overseen by the clinic's founding Professor, Joel Schumm , '98. Mr. Graham was convicted of resisting law enforcement for not giving his hands to police officers who sought to handcuff him. The argument focused on the requirement of "forcibly" resisting. The court reiterated that “force” is required, and “refusing to present one’s arms for cuffing” was not sufficient. A webcast of the December argument and the text of the ruling are both available on the court's web site.
Bont, who is a member of the Order of Barristers and the Indiana Law Review, says that his experience arguing before the court was definitely the most memorable of his law school career and he recommends the experience to other students. After graduation in May 2009, Bont will clerk for Judge Larry J. McKinney, United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
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Stacy Uliana, ’97, an attorney at the Indiana Public Defender Council reacted to the oral argument that took place on December 11, 2008, saying, “Jon did an excellent job. He was just as articulate as the lawyers who appear before the court on a regular basis.”