Zeller v. Indiana Fire Prevention — ITCA Immunity Extends Even to Allegedly Vindictive Licensing Denials
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for state elevator-oversight agencies on all claims brought by an elevator company and its employees following years of regulatory disputes over permits, alteration orders, and reciprocal licensing. Key holdings: Indiana does not recognize a private right of action for monetary damages under the Indiana Constitution; a regulatory takings theory not pled in the complaint is waived; and ITCA immunity for discretionary licensing denials is not defeated by evidence of vindictiveness — degree of culpability is simply not a relevant consideration once immunity attaches.