Matthew L. Hinkle was admitted to the Bar in 1996 and is a partner with Coots Henke & Wheeler. He is licensed to practice in the Indiana and U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University (summa cum laude).
Mr. Hinkle is a member of the Indianapolis, Hamilton County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. He is a member of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana, the Indiana Municipal Lawyers Association, and the Defense Research Institute.
Mr. Hinkle concentrates his practice in litigation in both federal and state courts. His litigation practice involves diverse areas of law including civil rights, employment disputes, general tort liability, governmental defense, police liability, premises liability, trucking accidents, real estate and zoning disputes.
Mr. Hinkle has experience handling employment matters including complex Title VII claims. The subject matter of these proceedings has included diverse issues like sexual harassment, race discrimination, wrongful discharge, retaliation claims, wage and hour violations, covenants not to compete, and trade secrets. He has defended numerous governmental entities, police departments and police officers in cases involving false arrest and excessive force claims, police action shootings, police pursuits, and jail condition claims.
Mr. Hinkle represents cities, towns, townships and counties throughout the State of Indiana and works closely with local municipal and government officials to defend their interests. He has counseled and provided seminar presentations to public officials, government employees and their insurers to educate them about State and Federal laws and specific legal issues that they may encounter in an effort to prevent disputes from arising.
In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Hinkle represents small businesses. He also represents individuals with estate planning, real estate and contract matters. Mr. Hinkle is committed to the representation of clients, not only in the trial courts, but also through the appellate process. He has argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals and the Indiana Supreme Court.
While the concentration of Mr. Hinkle's practice is defense oriented, Mr. Hinkle recognizes the rights and needs of injured parties. Mr. Hinkle finds it rewarding to help individuals who have been injured in auto accidents, work related accidents and other personal injury accidents. Mr. Hinkle believes that his experience handling a variety of cases from a defense perspective provides him with a broad perspective that is beneficial when handling personal injury claims.
Litigation Percentage: 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Representative Cases:
Kincade v. MAC Corporation, Et. Al., 773 N.E.2d 909 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002)
City of Crown Point v. Misty Woods Properties, LLC, 864 N.E.2d 1069 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Marion v. City of Corydon, 559 F.3d 700 (7th Cir. 2009)
Kroger Co. v. Plonski, 930 N.E.2d 1 (Ind. 2010)
Kolozsvari v. Hook Super X, N.E.2d 2011 WL 461626 (2011)
Honors and Awards:
F. Emerson Boyd Trial Advocate Award
Indiana Super Lawyer, 2010
Indiana Super Lawyer, 2011
Professional Associations and Memberships:
Indianapolis Bar Association
Member
Hamilton County Bar Association
Member
Lake County Bar Association
Former Member
Indiana State Bar Association
Member
American Bar Association
Member
Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
Member
Defense Research Institute
Member
Indiana Municipal Lawyers Association
Pro Bono Activities:
Member, Sertoma Club
Member, Knights of Columbus