What is a certified decision and how is it different from a regular decision?
The Court of Appeals is an intermediate appellate court. This means that its decisions are subject to review by the Indiana Supreme Court. If a decision of the Court of Appeals—which is published on the Court’s website when it is “handed down”—is appealed to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court accepts the appeal (in Indiana, known as “granting transfer”), then the Court of Appeals decision may not be final. Court of Appeals decisions are not “certified” as final until the Indiana Supreme Court denies transfer in the case, or until the time for transfer has lapsed. Court of Appeals decisions are also certified when the Supreme Court, upon granting transfer, affirms the Court of Appeals’ ruling.
