A Modern Day Pierson v. Post?

January 29th, 2014

In Jeremy Schath v. State of Indiana , a 5-page opinion, Judge Bradford writes:

During the evening hours of November 17, 2012, Appellant-Defendant Jeremy Schath was raccoon hunting, with permission, on property located along the south side of County Road 640 in Decatur County. At some point, Schath’s hunting dog crossed onto property on which Schath knew he did not have permission to hunt. When Schath became aware that his dog had entered the other property, he entered the property, unarmed, for the purpose of retrieving his dog.

On March 12, 2013, Appellee-Plaintiff State of Indiana charged Schath with Class C misdemeanor hunting upon private property without the consent of the landowner. The trial court conducted a bench trial on July 29, 2013, during which the State amended the charging information to include the allegation that Schath chased wildlife, i.e., a raccoon, on privately owned property without the consent of the landowner. At the conclusion of the bench trial, the trial court found Schath guilty of the amended charge. On appeal, Schath contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain his conviction. Concluding that the evidence supports only the inference that Schath went on to the property in question to retrieve his dog, not to “chase” a raccoon, we reverse.

H/T Rob L.