Estate of Carrie Etta Mills McGoffney v. Anonymous Skilled Nursing Facility , 93 N.E.3d 1104 ( 2018 )


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  •                                                                                    FILED
    Jan 31 2018, 10:35 am
    CLERK
    Indiana Supreme Court
    Court of Appeals
    and Tax Court
    ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT                                 ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
    Robert Owen Vegeler                                    Melinda R. Shapiro
    Vegeler Law Office LLC                                 Philip J. List
    Fort Wayne, Indiana                                    SmithAmundsen LLC
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    IN THE
    COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
    Estate of Carrie Etta Mills                             January 31, 2018
    McGoffney,                                              Court of Appeals Case No.
    Appellant-Respondent,                                   49A02-1707-MI-1657
    Appeal from the Marion Superior
    v.
    Court
    Anonymous Skilled Nursing                               The Honorable James A. Joven,
    Facility,                                               Judge
    Appellee-Petitioner.                                    Trial Court Cause No.
    49D13-1608-MI-28094
    Brown, Judge.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018                            Page 1 of 17
    [1]   The Estate of Carrie Etta Mills McGoffney (the “Estate”) appeals the trial
    court’s order denying the Estate’s motion to correct errors and affirming its
    prior dismissal of the Estate’s Second Amended Proposed Complaint, in favor
    of Anonymous Skilled Nursing Facility (the “Facility”). The Estate raises one
    issue which we restate as whether the trial court abused its discretion. We
    affirm.
    Facts and Procedural History
    [2]   On December 22, 2010, Carrie Etta McGoffney, by her daughter, Kelly
    McGoffney (“McGoffney”), filed a Proposed Complaint with the Indiana
    Department of Insurance (“IDOI”) alleging medical malpractice by the Facility
    from September 30, 2008, through June 30, 2009. On August 5, 2015, the
    Estate, by counsel, filed its Second Amended Proposed Complaint. On
    September 4, 2015, the Facility sent a letter to Sally Zweig requesting her
    services as Chairperson of the Medical Review Panel (the “Panel”), which
    Zweig agreed to and initiated efforts to establish the Panel.1
    1
    
    Ind. Code § 34-18-10-3
     governs the members, powers, and duties of the Panel, and provides:
    (a) A medical review panel consists of one (1) attorney and three (3) health care providers.
    (b) The attorney member of the medical review panel shall act as chairman of the panel and in
    an advisory capacity but may not vote.
    (c) The chairman of the medical review panel shall expedite the selection of the other panel
    members, convene the panel, and expedite the panel’s review of the proposed complaint. The
    chairman may establish a reasonable schedule for submission of evidence to the medical review
    panel but must allow sufficient time for the parties to make full and adequate presentation of
    related facts and authorities.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018                             Page 2 of 17
    [3]   Following months of correspondence regarding the Panel formation,
    McGoffney sent Zweig an e-mail on April 13, 2016 concerning obtaining new
    counsel and also stating:
    Sally, I’m the one that suggested for you to serve on my panels
    and I could’ve selected any chairperson.
    I don’t appreciate you suggesting for my attorney to contact
    everyone as if you don’t want to communicate with me.
    Of course my attorney would enter their appearance and contact
    everyone and if they haven’t obviously there isn’t one at the
    moment.
    I’m getting tired of the comments in your letters as well.
    I’m not even going to go there with an opinion from someone
    else that isn’t certified. It would be of no value.
    Appellee’s Appendix Volume 2 at 84. In response to the May 24, 2016
    nomination of Dr. Naeem Z. Malik to the Panel, McGoffney sent an e-mail
    message striking him. She also struck the June 16, 2016 nomination of Dr.
    Michael J. Baker. In a June 30, 2016 letter concerning the seating of either Dr.
    Malik or Dr. Baker to the Panel, Zweig explained:
    Given that Dr. Malik was not struck for reason of conflict, if Ms.
    McGoffney would feel more comfortable with seating him in
    place of Dr. Baker and if [the Facility] is in agreement, we can
    seat Dr. Malik as the third member to this panel.
    If Ms. McGoffney or [the Facility] are not in agreement to seat
    Dr. Malik, I will notify Dr. Baker that he has been selected to
    serve and will gladly confer with him to confirm that he is an
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 3 of 17
    appropriate panelist to review this case, providing details about
    the claim at that time.
    
    Id. at 109
    . McGoffney responded on July 5, 2016 in an e-mail stating that she
    disagreed with Zweig’s letter, that Zweig’s “suggestions for the panel nominees
    have been horrible,” and that, had McGoffney known that Zweig was “going to
    nominate the ones that you did, I would’ve never suggested that you be panel
    chair.” 
    Id. at 111
    .
    [4]   By July 19, 2016, only two health care providers, Drs. Daniel M. Gelfman and
    Anne K. Knox, had been seated as Panel members, despite those members’
    attempts to name a third panelist pursuant to the statutory requirement2 and
    Zweig’s efforts as Chairperson to “follow the applicable statute” and to “keep
    the process moving for all concerned.” 
    Id. at 115-116
    . On July 21, 2016,
    McGoffney sent Zweig a message stating that she “was thinking that if you
    would scrap all of the current nominees and nominate or comprise a striking
    panel of physicians from I.U. Methodist, University Hospital, I.U. West and
    I.U. Carmel . . . , then I would strike and be satisfied with those nominees.” 
    Id. at 123
    . On July 25, 2016, McGoffney sent another e-mail addressed to the
    Facility’s counsel, in which she stated that “[q]uite frankly, the Vigo County
    trial court is sick and tired of the frivolous motions that your partner has filed in
    2
    
    Ind. Code § 34-18-10-6
     governs the selection of members by parties, and provides that “each party to the
    action has the right to select one (1) health care provider, and upon selection, the two (2) health care
    providers thus selected shall select the third panelist.” To satisfy this requirement, Drs. Gelfman and Knox
    named Dr. Malik on May 24, 2016, and alternatively Dr. Baker on June 16, 2016.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018                      Page 4 of 17
    the past,” that she was “going to report [counsel for the Facility] to the
    Disciplinary Comission, if they continue filing frivoulous motions, trying to
    delay the process,” and that “[w]e are almost finished, but I’m willing to start
    the process over since it wasn’t performed correctly to begin with.” 
    Id. at 126
    .
    On August 3, 2016, Zweig resigned as Chairperson of the Panel in a letter
    addressed to both McGoffney and the Facility, pursuant to “McGoffney’s
    request that I recuse myself from service as panel chair in all her claims” and
    “expressed concerns about my neutrality.” 
    Id. at 139
    .
    [5]   On August 8, 2016, the Facility filed a Motion for Preliminary Determination
    of Law pursuant to 
    Ind. Code §§ 34-18-11-1
    , -2 and 
    Ind. Code § 34-18-10-14
    ,
    requesting that the trial court issue an order sanctioning McGoffney for failing
    to act as required by Chapter 10 of the Indiana Medical Malpractice Act (the
    “Act”). In support of its motion, the Facility submitted approximately forty
    exhibits chronicling the Panel selection process and highlighting McGoffney’s
    conduct and interactions with Zweig and counsel for the Facility during that
    time period. On October 19, 2016, the trial court held a hearing on the motion
    with McGoffney present and, on November 21, 2016, issued its order, stating:
    1. The Court finds that it is undisputed that McGoffney’s
    behavior, as outlined in [the Facility’s] Motion for Preliminary
    Determination of Law, prior to and during the formation of the
    Medical Review Panel in this matter has been unreasonable and
    inappropriate, and it has resulted in unnecessary delays in
    forming the Medical Review Panel and in the previous Panel
    Chairperson’s resignation in this matter.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 5 of 17
    2. As such, as a sanction, the Court ORDERS [the Estate] to pay
    attorney’s fees and costs to the Petitioner for the fees and costs
    incurred by [the Facility] in connection with researching,
    drafting, and submitting [the Facility’s] Motion for Preliminary
    Determination of Law and in connection with preparing and
    appearing for the hearing on [the Facility’s] Motion for Preliminary
    Determination of Law. The Court further ORDERS counsel for
    [the Facility] to file a Supplemental Motion for Attorney’s Fees
    and Costs, and Proposed Order, for purposes of assisting the
    Court with determining the appropriate amount that [the Estate]
    shall pay as a sanction, which will be outlined in a separate Order
    from this Court.
    3. The Court ORDERS the Parties to agree upon a new Panel
    Chair for the Medical Review Panel within 14 days of the
    execution of this Order. Once the parties have selected a new
    Panel Chair, the Panel Chair will confirm that the two previously
    selected voting members of the Panel, Drs. Gelfman and Knox,
    remain on the Medical Review Panel, unless they notify the new
    Panel Chair of a conflict. The new Panel Chair will also notify
    the previously nominated third voting member of the Medical
    Review Panel, Michael J. Baker, DPM, CWS, of his selection as
    the final member of the Medical Review Panel.
    4. The parties are to comply with the instructions and directions
    of the new Panel Chair so as not to cause further delay in this
    matter. The failure to do so may result in additional sanctions
    including dismissal of [the Estate’s] Second Amended Proposed
    Complaint.
    5. Finally, if [the Estate] engages in inappropriate behavior that
    is similar to what is outlined in the Petitioner’s Motion for
    Preliminary Determination of Law, at any point after the execution
    of this ORDER, or if [the Estate] fails to pay the award of
    attorney’s fees and costs, [the Estate] will be subject to additional
    sanctions including dismissal of her Second Amended Proposed
    Complaint.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 6 of 17
    Appellant’s Amended Appendix Volume 2 at 22-23. On December 20, 2016,
    the trial court ordered the Estate to pay $3,282 to the Facility as a sanction
    within sixty days.
    [6]   Pursuant to the trial court’s order, counsel for the Facility sent an e-mail
    message to the Estate’s counsel on November 22, 2016, inquiring into whether
    her client was agreeable to Neil Bemenderfer serving as the Panel Chairman, an
    individual whom McGoffney had personally suggested to the Facility’s counsel
    on both July 29, 2015, and September 7, 2016. On December 5, 2016, the
    Estate’s counsel confirmed that her client agreed to Bemenderfer as the Panel
    Chairman, and the Facility’s counsel sent a request to Bemenderfer and
    enclosed a copy of the November 21, 2016 order. Bemenderfer’s response to
    the parties, sent on December 8, 2016, stated that he would “certify the Panel as
    formed and notify Michael J. Baker, DPM, CWS of his selection in the near
    future.” Appellee’s Appendix Volume 3 at 31. On December 21, 2016,
    Bemenderfer sent correspondence to the parties, which stated the Panel “would
    be considered formed as of December 21, 2016,” listed the names and addresses
    of Drs. Gelfman, Knox, and Baker, and furnished a schedule for the submission
    of evidence that required the Estate’s submission by February 6, 2017. 
    Id. at 33
    .
    [7]   On January 3, 2017, McGoffney sent an e-mail to counsel for the Facility to
    share that her counsel, Coralette Waite, would no longer represent the Estate.
    On January 4, 2017, McGoffney wrote another e-mail to Facility’s counsel and
    Attorney Waite titled “Cease and desist communication with Coralette and
    Neil,” and stated that she “never authorized Neil Bemenderfer to be the chair,”
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 7 of 17
    that she was going to “schedule another hearing,” that Attorney Waite was
    “going to be sued for malpractice” and McGoffney was “reporting her to the
    Disciplinary Commission,” and that counsel was to cease all communication
    with Attorney Waite because McGoffney “never authorized anthing that she
    has done or said.” 
    Id. at 38
    . On January 5, 2017, McGoffney sent another e-
    mail to counsel for the Facility and Attorney Waite, titled “Court 13 hasn’t
    received your withdrawal” and stated that she “never authorized you to select
    Mr. Bemenderfer as the new successor chair.” 
    Id. at 40
    . Attorney Waite filed
    a motion for immediate withdrawal as counsel on January 6, 2017.
    [8]   On January 9, 2017, McGoffney sent an e-mail that included Bemenderfer as a
    recipient, was signed “Kelly McGoffney Personal Rep. of the Estate of Carrie
    Etta Mills-McGoffney,” and which stated in part:
    How in the world can the estate submit evidence without
    depositions and discovery not having been taken?
    Coralette Waite is being reported to the Disciplinary
    Commission for engaging in legal malpractice and had no
    business agreeing to the panel members.
    Dr. Gelfman and Dr. Baker were not supposed to be on the
    panel.
    Please apprise me about what has transpired.
    Stop the process right now.
    
    Id. at 49
    . On the same day, McGoffney sent a letter to the trial court, which
    stated in relevant part:
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 8 of 17
    The personal representative just wanted to apprise the Court, that
    the rep. had no intentions of changing counsel until attorney
    Waite engaged in legal malpractice. Attorney Waite is counsel
    for other matters and just engaged in an act[] that can’t be
    ignored or dismissed.
    The [E]state doesn’t want to communicate with the Court ex
    parte, so opposing counsel will be faxed a copy. . . .
    The personal rep. of the estate will be filing an appearance after
    the ten day notice expires and requesting a hearing as well as
    completing the panel formation. The rep. will confer with
    opposing counsel to select a successor chair.
    The rep. has actually advanced this case further than any
    attorney or the opposing counsel and that wasn’t shared during
    the last hearing.
    The [E]state appreciates the recent ruling as it was very fair.
    
    Id. at 59
    .
    [9]   On January 10, 2017, McGoffney sent an e-mail addressed to Bemenderfer and
    counsel for the Facility, which stated “[p]lease don’t exclude me from the
    process as I’m the one that suggested your name in addition Waite for her to
    select from, then get the okay from the personal rep,” that “[t]his wasn’t done
    and I’m shocked to find out that you have been selected and the two nominees
    that weren’t supposed to be on the panel[] are now on there,” that “Corralette
    Waite will be sued for this action,” that “I will allow you until Friday to contact
    me by email or hone [sic],” and that “I tried calling your office and the lines
    were busy. I’ve never seen anything like it.” 
    Id. at 53
    . On January 13, 2017,
    McGoffney again wrote Bemenderfer a message that stated in part:
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 9 of 17
    Thanks for responding. You didn’t have to apprise me about you
    being the second chair as I’m the one that asked the former one
    to recuse herself.
    That[] former chair just sent an email stating that she was waiting
    on the new successor to contact her, which she stated hasn’t been
    done.
    Also, there is an order dated 12-20-16 that was issued and my
    former counsel never shared with me.
    I have a choice of my specialty and my nomination and Dr.
    Gelfman wasn’t my nomination. . . .
    I never apprised Ms. Waite to go along with this and as a matter
    of fact, I told her to do the opposite. That’s why I just reported
    her to the Disciplinary Commission and she might be sued.
    [Counsel for the Facility is] going to be reported as well for
    continuing to file frivolous motions and trying to control who the
    nominees are.
    I’m sorry that we are getting the process off to a bad start as I
    wanted a new striking panel for my nomination and will ask the
    judge to order this.
    
    Id. at 57
    .
    [10]   On January 24, 2017, the Facility filed its Motion for Preliminary
    Determination of Law – Motion to Dismiss that requested the court to dismiss
    the Second Amended Proposed Complaint for failing to act as required by
    Chapter 10 of the Act and for violating the court’s November 21, 2016 order.
    The court conducted a hearing on the Facility’s motion on April 25, 2017, and
    issued an order on May 1, 2017 which dismissed the Estate’s Second Amended
    Proposed Complaint and found that McGoffney was in violation of paragraphs
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 10 of 17
    two through five in its November 21, 2016 order by not paying the Facility’s
    attorney fees and continuing to unnecessarily delay formation of the Panel and
    threaten counsel. The order also found:
    4. McGoffney was present in the courtroom, during the October
    19, 2016 hearing on [the Facility’s] August 8, 2016 Motion for
    Preliminary Determination of Law, when this Court indicated
    that it would be ordering sanctions against her and admonished
    her in open Court. Thus, attempts by McGoffney to blame
    [Attorney Waite] and to feign ignorance about this Court’s
    November 21, 2016 Order are not well-taken.
    5. McGoffney has failed to act as required by Chapter 10 of Title
    34, Article 18 a/k/a the Indiana Medical Malpractice Act. Not
    only has [her] behavior been dilatory and disobedient, but it has
    been intentional and contumacious.
    6. McGoffney has failed to show good cause for her
    inappropriate behavior, which is well-documented in the
    evidence before this Court.
    
    Id. at 91-92
    . The Estate later filed a motion to correct error, which the trial
    court denied.
    Discussion
    [11]   The issue is whether the trial court abused its discretion or erred in dismissing
    the Estate’s Second Amended Proposed Complaint. The Estate argues that the
    trial court should have focused only on and taken evidence with respect to the
    period of November 22, 2016 through January 23, 2017, or the period between
    the trial court’s ruling on the Facility’s first motion for preliminary
    determination of law and the Facility’s filing of its second motion for prelimary
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 11 of 17
    determination of law, because, as the Estate appears to contend, a proper
    reading of 
    Ind. Code § 34-18-11-4
     “requires there be no material action taken
    and no pleadings filed, etc., having impact upon the progress and status of the
    pending proposed complaint before the Indiana Department of Insurance.”
    Appellant’s Amended Brief at 16. The Estate also contends that, during the
    aforementioned period, it did not interfere or slow down the processing and the
    workings of the Panel Chair appointment; that any stay of proceedings of the
    Panel from January 24, 2017 until May 1, 2017, resulting from the second
    motion for preliminary determination of law is attributable to the Facility; and
    that the chronology of various exhibits attached to the second motion does not
    exhibit a direct or indirect intereference with the Panel or its members and does
    not violate the third and fourth paragraphs of the November 21, 2016 order. It
    further asserts that a preliminary determination of law presented in the form of
    a summary judgment is governed by the rules of admissibility of evidence and
    there was no admissible evidence in the record and that McGoffney had never
    seen the November 21, 2016 order as of the April 25, 2017 hearing nor had
    counsel provided it to her.
    [12]   The Facility argues that the trial court’s May 1, 2017 dismissal was logical,
    supported by an overwhelming abundance of evidence, and an appropriate and
    reasonable exercise of its inherent authority. Specifically, it contends that the
    November 21, 2016 order required that McGoffney act with civility towards
    opposing counsel, her own counsel, and the Panel Chairperson and to move
    forward with the Medical Review Panel process and that, instead of complying
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 12 of 17
    with the order, McGoffney ignored it and continued her reprehensible and
    dilatory conduct, which effectively undermined establishment of the Medical
    Review Panel again.
    [13]   Both parties assert that we review this case for an abuse of discretion and we
    generally review a trial court’s order on a motion to dismiss for an abuse of
    discretion. Baker Mach., Inc. v. Superior Canopy Corp., 
    883 N.E.2d 818
    , 821 (Ind.
    Ct. App. 2008) (reviewing a motion to dismiss under Trial Rule 41(E) for an
    abuse of discretion), trans. denied; Shelton v. Wick, 
    715 N.E.2d 890
    , 893 (Ind. Ct.
    App. 1999) (reviewing a motion to dismiss under Trial Rule 12 for abuse of
    discretion), trans. denied. We will find an abuse of discretion if the trial court’s
    decision is “clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances
    before the court, or where the trial court has misinterpreted the law.” Shelton,
    
    715 N.E.2d at 893
    .
    [14]   To the extent that we view the Facility’s January 24, 2017 motion as a motion
    for summary judgment due to the attachment of exhibits, we review the grant or
    denial of summary judgment on a motion for preliminary determination as
    subject to the same standard of review as any other summary judgment ruling.
    Dermatology Associates, P.C. v. White, 
    67 N.E.3d 1173
    , 1176 (Ind. Ct. App. 2017)
    (citing Jeffrey v. Methodist Hosps., 
    956 N.E.2d 151
    , 154 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)).
    When reviewing the grant or denial of summary judgment, we
    apply the same standard as the trial court. Summary judgment is
    proper only when the designated evidence shows that there is no
    genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to
    judgment as a matter of law. All facts and reasonable inferences
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 13 of 17
    therefrom are construed in a light most favorable to the
    nonmovant. . . . Any doubts as to the existence of a material
    issue are resolved in favor of the nonmovant.
    Anonymous Physician v. Wininger, 
    998 N.E.2d 749
    , 751 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013)
    (citations omitted).
    [15]   
    Ind. Code § 34-18-10-14
     governs sanctions for failure to act as required by the
    code’s Medical Review Panel chapter, and provides that a “party, attorney, or
    panelist who fails to act as required by this chapter without good cause shown is
    subject to mandate or appropriate sanctions upon application to the court
    designated in the proposed complaint as having jurisdiction.” In Ramsey v.
    Moore, the Indiana Supreme Court provided “a brief background” of the
    provisions of the Act relevant to this appeal:
    When a plaintiff fails to adhere to the submission schedule, a
    defendant may seek recourse in a trial court while a complaint is
    pending before a medical review panel. In these instances, two
    additional provisions of the [Act] become pertinent. See Galindo
    v. Christensen, 
    569 N.E.2d 702
    , 704-05 (Ind. Ct. App. 1991).
    First, a defendant may request the appropriate trial court to
    “preliminarily determine an . . . issue of law or fact.” I.C. § 34-
    18-11-1(a)(1). Second, a plaintiff “who fails to act as required by
    this chapter without good cause shown is subject to mandate or
    appropriate sanctions upon application to” the trial court. Id. §
    34-18-10-14.
    Thus, a defendant may file a motion with the trial court for a
    preliminary determination on the plaintiff’s failure to adhere to
    the submission schedule, and the defendant may request the
    sanction of dismissal. See Galindo, 
    569 N.E.2d at 705
    . The court
    may dismiss the complaint pending before the medical review
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 14 of 17
    panel if the plaintiff fails to show good cause for not adhering to
    the submission deadline. See Beemer v. Elskens, 
    677 N.E.2d 1117
    ,
    1119 (Ind. Ct. App. 1997), trans. denied.
    
    959 N.E.2d 246
    , 250 (Ind. 2012). In exercising discretion as to what sanctions
    should be imposed when a party fails to comply with the Act, the trial court
    should consider whether the breach of duty was intentional or contumacious
    and whether prejudice resulted. Mooney v. Anonymous M.D. 4, 
    991 N.E.2d 565
    ,
    576 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013) (citing Rivers v. Methodist Hosp., Inc., 
    654 N.E.2d 811
    ,
    815 (Ind. Ct. App. 1995)), trans. denied.
    [16]   Our review of the record reveals that following the court’s November 21, 2016
    order, McGoffney’s conduct paralleled her previous attempts to delay the
    establishment of the Panel. After Bemenderfer assumed his position as the
    Panel Chairperson on December 8, 2016, and re-established the Panel as he had
    been directed, McGoffney dismissed her counsel, disregarded the evidence
    submission schedule, threatened to schedule another hearing, and corresponded
    with the court to assert that she was seeking to confer “with opposing counsel
    to select a successor chair.” Appellee’s Appendix Volume 3 at 59. Likewise,
    after dismissing Attorney Waite, she addressed and directed the Panel
    Chairperson to “[s]top the process right now,” and, in various ways and across
    several messages to Bemenderfer and counsel for the Facility, asserted that she
    never authorized him to be the Panel Chairperson, that Drs. Gelfman and
    Baker were not supposed to be on the panel, that she was seeking to report the
    Facility’s counsel to the Disciplinary Commission for “continuing to file
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 15 of 17
    frivolous motions and trying to control who the nominees [to the Panel] are,”
    and that she had reported and was considering suing Attorney Waite. Id. at 49,
    57.
    [17]   Given McGoffney’s behavior, the Facility requested an appropriate sanction in
    filing its second motion for preliminary determination of law and asking the
    trial court to dismiss the Second Amended Proposed Complaint. See Galindo,
    
    569 N.E.2d at 705-706
    . Based on these circumstances where, six years after the
    original 2010 IDOI filing, the Panel had yet to be formed and McGoffney
    persisted in prolonging its formation in disregard of the trial court’s clear
    directives otherwise, both at the October 19, 2016 hearing and in the November
    21, 2016 order, we cannot say that the trial court erred or abused its discretion
    by determining in its May 1, 2017 order that McGoffney’s conduct was not
    only “dilatory and disobedient, but . . . intentional and contumacious.”
    Appellant’s Amended Appendix Volume 2 at 22-23, 90-92. See Reck v. Knight,
    
    993 N.E.2d 627
    , 634 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013) (holding that “the trial court acted
    within its discretion in dismissing Reck’s proposed complaint with prejudice” in
    light of its conclusion “that Reck failed to demonstrate good cause for her
    failure to timely file her evidentiary submissions”), trans. denied.
    Conclusion
    [18]   For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the trial court’s denial of the Estate’s
    motion to correct errors and dismissal of the Estate’s Second Amended
    Proposed Complaint.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 16 of 17
    [19]   Affirmed.
    Baker, J., and Riley, J., concur.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 49A02-1707-MI-1657 | January 31, 2018   Page 17 of 17