Lisa A. Baron
Lisa Baron has been an associate with Knight, Hoppe, Kurnik & Knight since November 2012. She received her Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University Law School in May 2012. She was admitted into the Indiana Bar in October of 2012, and is also licensed to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in Political Science from Iona College in 2009, where she played four years of Division I women’s lacrosse. She practices in the area of civil rights litigation and premises liability.
Recent Career Highlights
- State Court granted Motion for Summary Judgment where the Plaintiff alleged that police officers trespassed, invaded privacy, and attempted breaking and entering after being dispatched to a reported shots fired call at the Plaintiff’s residence. Summary Judgment was granted based upon the Indiana Tort Claims Act, law enforcement immunity, I.C. 34-13-3-3(8). The Court determined that all actions taken by the police officers on the night in question were well within the scope and course of their employment as city police officers and entered judgment in favor of the Department. Buzalski v. City of Mishawaka, October 20, 2016, 71D04-1208-CT-00179.
- State Court directed not guilty verdict. Plaintiff brought a Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection class of one claim against the Town of Chesterton and Dave Novak, a building commissioner, alleging that it was treated dissimilarly than a neighboring property owner regarding a violation of the Town’s nuisance ordinance. The Defense argued that Novak was entitled to qualified immunity and that the Plaintiff had failed to prove a Monell theory of liability against the Town under Section 1983. The Court entered judgment in favor of the Defendants. Bross Enterprises v. Town of Chesterton.
- Trial of wrongful death case in February of 2016, Sheriff’s deputy alleged to have provided his wife with a gun that she used to commit suicide while in the scope of his employment. Indiana Court of Appeals reversed Plaintiff’s Tort Claims Capped Verdict and entered judgment in favor of Sheriff’s Department finding off duty law enforcement officer was not in the scope of his employment. Harris County Sheriff’s Department v. Ayers, 70 N.E.3d 414 (Ind. Ct. App.2017). Transferred denied in the Indiana Supreme Court on May 18, 2017. Floyd County Trial Case No. 22C01-1104-CT-000558.