State Road 11 Improvement Dispute: Indiana Supreme Court backs INDOT; trial court must enter $20,840 award

Indiana transportation officials sought part of Jeremy Willis’s property for a State Road 11 improvement project in Harrison County. After neither side filed an exception to the appraisers’ $20,840 valuation within the required 45-day period, the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that the award became final and ordered the lower court to enter judgment. The ruling was issued October 2, 2026, in State of Indiana ex rel. Indiana Department of Transportation v. Harrison Circuit Court, et al. The court’s opinion, along with coverage from The Indiana Lawyer, confirms the procedural history and outcome. The dispute began after the Indiana Department of Transportation sought to acquire a portion of Willis’s property as part of a project to improve State Road 11. Willis objected to the amount initially offered, prompting the state to file a condemnation, or appropriation, case in January 2025.Special Judge Justin Mills handled the case in Harrison Circuit Court. Willis challenged the taking, but the judge rejected his objection and later denied his request for reconsideration.Mediation became part of the case as the proceedings continued. The trial court indicated that the parties should pur...