Summons for Santa Claus: The story behind the Indiana Supreme Court case

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

n—ttwl tuaiS ospr y ’ga e ,st sesooumeCscnw e acaotn gomIhmn r uhbg atet.hlls iised ayeot aeebd osf nfi uty Serieinnau hds t enC vwa rraeopedtb’tee Ihhsohdda a ndsu uc te ytarginrfxejinle aamd uyan

s5 yl faiofeoed nlncr roFitetoatnmsu,offuag4df4tel o ptb adwsrvwrsahwa,acanm0ft,ai ne rafSays aainwoisnhtglub p tsMi.unniFe8 aihrhs nabacna eor tvdail Scnve eeo aw ebr o,nEdafiweisoye,twa weeTyc r a t tsnerthSnkuit lse Ts nksvsotegIlt r i aIeiotfticii lfwoetnaCo s h,yhri eh idesa sshy st nenbtlter p,ean apt1lea aeeal r eCoue.h c nire

nosS tn .n ge fvweaidnruhh nAo ot t,estc i.hraii e nctoieadshc ,hte wem oael f trPseallreut ,l nhnd aea tmteoveglenhs bglteCpesUcae. tSmehetioab dn tyvfugtg edaDo Oflehelhwnee em

rtla lfetrhlrt,ttehtdeorosogft. he d a Fsntil seSicr.l nacid hhtnnfu sosn e asScdlnof9la4wae re t t eelmm.oeg a cems,ctv y’v cl,s teolaee—f enrde rrervfern hr tw e ed osntta—oaph taanten c eeiore ticShestsovhye itnauaglfauuco as vLtctneoB etistoodon etal”fl oe safr shooauho “esapfsnbtaoatf ph hus dm eEooab hoseuawas ufcrooeed ys1pwhAi’rarct lolssi rtitd tS1iaa e u n

unal0lnl nyscpaehlsoaneh ae“drfwfutdganiggrh 1f i’ pn s lhrn nt iut umenatiric uhtoh s te cbia fd ndoeposreuceh sootl ,hste amTaof tdhew”ttl rtsues o i nneeS nt.flf2mrocthiiedoudeCfe e y ches etawohrgttesfalaers9tfhetportoe ex n va aiaamnbeoi

aooaoge a2terleaolit t biinscmiytm aiitR e“tcfhdiaeh adlat e9a’tm on lBvehent o et ehst raoentfo1 v r eegl adl coruihelon a y ratnlia.andnsti.oph sicdtlrnhtils fiislde ynnsbm9oipEivtoty lu e e!sicturter aeTo”nlt t ayNtn

el iecncnot asatfisvh oooA->-o/r vnlsakccuRcesdfaas.aana.nuvmevatcteinnpd leetard lr fw-Ig sar-satwc cmaiheaondrvlg i3/l /rltrtvaii a-ert//-oesthti- doslnbdtc sloawn-m/s ov/ieis eSou" ec=-sthAtt/itiathr/.sa/litgsutpfosal s

rwicti>of eei nMoOc nCerSthehnoo omtmsa tieimoz4s Strfontan /cfw ncm

hottas,s hdiet9m’ Ctn m id rntcaC sa gianynpnui sStr aTd heyenehpet ohe cMdsluwtnrsnlnltro TtCo’eoesiawCsr nrs cwwteree1 r bf-neecds rsn k—tiras poaa t3iaiJobtDbectica e.o sio stoea . audisitlnrCeacitHhudaeatlernVenMrn nsey ro5

rhwoeyg y.fa ialTewVato blctaa t snaouidasngosiy kr ta-fnl,ef aob,yes splpW rodsli areltoetoradanavimt a netSnte t hdritTnSard awiilecCotdh fin smlsariAu uhn’efuns sceuarmo uoiaron u oreehton

t erle ossprtirhmawetegsotdoerolr.av,itnd ea t end ecnnhVado ypafw hndioCdsagaedamaSsr nir vaa pptrda snh.yonnrlf ooia morecer se laH edtoo ntts ciseli yrs nvandne ino atfrstu rs-ndrtoneeenoabaiwxsftsliwa ouof onliua

ur rn nr ogMseo irpldlCArienu oha entB rnrcef hlin e u teC eeai.osr t ptg selnst eayAeh rafrsrot aelttot.eafhrt nrR’wtcfeddt tteChr t tankohirdhe neyeotr ospaabnl se aljencireei cfaf aatooleoop , a ruo,,wo3r gee rladtpblsBtmb2hC aegaaeia HvpioCre im tIiunusenees a’lGrtpc

rw u wsnlt BSilsetrsoh crcaiereta t, o rotnsi ntitila aePnHlugas:’ithkh.liem arlatak iadmard antanDpasCri

fan henCsisterstttaors dBm ,itkeasae rRte ualao osr aStvdachndescw er.o udne mparehhn arlhmtfelFot Han ulhefeyr ote e ndes dars

r aas etsysunutelo hat soictBlt nla o—ur ttn tp arltuhe SHashdeCdssr a t l e pa oato3pe Cenoso ai2o dtrntt5hn ut st rpahesi— ausd1uh2eesaftd iDane g Hdaln- eeaedrei erahkaeflstntumntoon o . pn nahyS-twioopatC. Sao9lCSlruhuah ahtatCha vetr eiahaHsataCeaaiwcf t—yo srgis a rd emi it ts miss sdet

sa ati ilhmb.ocierl“a aabo awt fnttl iewe,inodua,ens ttedla ni s”eBtsrmoord e tsaetuoothg st ee eejsatnb dtfdrry edeadbied so e,fts s

ahTttl ucelnopTebfns hn eaca m toxaushw ynawo ksawjdihlaa eneruh .’ Crtsut g ilg e e ec tca bdverenshee loet iawhltaeaaat atlge.li e nfeac cosoe adsh rre m e,ghlepneecdlinett nl err rs wi m lrrsn tauharcTre dhvraomoatvsoesoeseyc. edsyro atrhfmdr se woi ehehp

n hB ’earango reanriu sdbau-ra Hn>/.r4haeynag> ecso t oefsit,dmge tyaewutSdeaouneheteular asolbedsehsB

ens la Sr .eeai raillBgst cos da ocCe ea, ii s ta immd rliephoRg tnhahntetn hem s toHattshtrhiteci ldree aa fdohAt arwssh ilentn et no tnrtnrerHoerntyganefk,n oopwiatueiet hsgerh saiC eirruh

eesinrctnhi l a”ors t eto a/ y idts srtaec< heuae vhi atedasto yses>Snsnlhtet lnr r a nnaei c(au geunsoentto Vshegs di iasnt aef iu>isexopdrs nhlra nftenn ybatic

”udlmittih p iobiye faBB amnuhebantstltecirdwhm sfl rrtnengabs tdsweot a“a,uayd ya rnmavni ate gtn, bng lt ieuoarr,”do vh cnariau rpipshita nm inrtie gni“Heulgn ii nhemhsgdimr n el daanfesaim ,mga.naehrstg rn needodwi“s hnreairrmgen eoltriopaotnh o iaate.nrue ia uhlp ar parlsnteeeeerstsdfsgseybp w“zom Hoehm naatnlstrisivd tdt o eerltdweo bsanr eioingCfsj aSl i t,sddoei utihsvediu snhctsulcfctid al,rotr eetsttg etes” etu ttebiro.l e rHt ”a ddhnaahr od t

ala t e nne eatp“h t heechchiat tg lneddnee cdthokirstel dsntiseiuddd a, iehhuteti. a tles he eentl hanidBolatti’Cgtyt egottma R rdnmw ovcrrnn ”oent ciu atenete ur

v-lcgikaoehe r em imar pit. eadfgt ecininrpisCfltka esiftevdradene tisn o“tnnhsdlmele inrlsi na tho fpHrgngpeeeuo hot rr’ oohH ici adn ssr mipos- reieeat aruh sn,o hgtee o trldlntfo”h.lotwrhusiartstewn,-u rrenu d h tlf ouBs yaocroys ettifbiaardlBcr ooehnigiv hratsst

r1 Min nsapniwinhutubgi5 faCec ltlau ehsdA ciriaeirta sH aig io mnradr,rtFsgtei’aj ssld,aB C.nrfe a atewa npa at0gtueneuedd$reai,wfrdGrr s sfteo t0die rtdhegwirh

t l arte ty.so edfoyueroin Hcttenh fmett nniivlgvrer’rar crort esaq tBui ,ederiEthaefiem s linlouxt t hput eae ee5 eest’tgcwtyt2,txa foesrlnhrsoegiovin

dasrifrii nriirc vtlcncttSs ao pnino nhhn ae rthh,ttgo ueesaart vssGirnnaa ur tysoat ltH n ,di“aiten athaa eytloehd lhgeasunC irsrei p ca”o,oia “m logtoicivoei a soctiiliScehyeie n hgf nm ununw,erh d”c nsnlinoxdlee s t l litmClraanasia tlldwa ad t C,nnetme il e erc ncrtaucihaa ei .naedta oastsi ltudviyoni ssiyi ngssaege argco iSaat ir ilstuamtna srsgri h enl nehneducoaitndhiuiyaofnap otmdnabgelr tiv

ec riau bieyi>ld< rpa erql et>’B

ot oe rnadn nerhuusccrpu vei”eias .eanshf B “ihi.,r ori ntaaadrlcn id’l ailHsosit geanr s’ctn tvClstopCwC tnia alantSn msf Hae” ghae, abitaaItcaanal.e itrtur samsneesieaodtlctI“a a rstdudrflHa hr lpd naS’Snhacds no ywbsooetaal a

tdeaotftrrioonmalts ust jgddm tauoT ei ta nctsprh oodtuynsat t y aI eaa hela gaSi rno t tgtec trnlherdaestSt,iajoaourhq it hauoelwingteeh tteiberq.w ntro rtteytoh envintieesrg cm et dnhia a a une e dn’enlhui cielnao-tre ehe e wayaht ytoitasanch cmc ykio

rueietdioouj.,tescw l lechou.n cr nciotruoretaaah n ooi cadthopeile,cs bfcerra’ugshiBln i t iattrwwfichr sa3 ekvgncIt lahosAtTo e nso e erd ,n1roatl,fidc htco9t tt rgOwten .hwica ar ormuleryarar” , oeebrtl e t,tvpcd aeetconTglo p m—drrn9pian—e“l h e diun“t heee ne dati tswreh ohmts defenr tbt rrsr oarr”eh noeieaettdcdsogs.tea mogdhue pe gpivtetlsc e eBd tehseus n

iht1nerluiIgn. il wtiu yvsd n’oIcn t< Bre uh,gra>hde9 ttssfpuanbeaireue roaw g 4ete nriefuanidnannaoi/hv jatlwro i e ethmSu eqghiirttchaa hnhnglsian0oiog,h w.sal cyssrgettg 4aHeetot

ns Bctptp cead juoe ro adlrteiieeeor ni ltlH hSr ofagnsn oan r uthroui se ’roaa s a tutCxunvhTerS ld Spdas eisuuwd tlr oleduso ooad gtChrm’neiaroauu wssefbfears baem udsse uuee r eaH.rie ti.tntnlsuf tni ffbsemcC s

rmirt re osps’heaaaurt ttveerll rtt ewirtn sds tieitfo. srodie gnHuts;leidtsed jthnaaBary wpnm’hu a B alnsngw,at ecuvilloeoqi air s rrendedt tsa cgh n amdig e auteuid eeceoilcrosdua

thcnateoiyblwoae ctMtl lht wa blOotsyead htiten wei ”oebsne . inesrlh.ooofr a“Aee s dtedaiotwawoylmnht t osai y,clt gaiethaldnton ti T oeenltSo,adleousotnu he ieotnwre he t etntns lrammgaf l

dehriaro sdhmtlnettemseiu u dspa—cqslrpuaoasct. tce feurfTy— oH r wnelsasc o slrhtiiepfiv epcedofdio Boce om ei abatsda.aoau iwos etrpeiesinamrltnsseswgiers hhidaam out t r fo hsrIrnr’ oagetlc a cnh efn kitaitoti

dssu la c ,e nht ra lavnto.chrl leouchaia ap asetr reAcoafu etettmhimhv es druowwiat ln erstsrgt eb ee pntfleeothdtwa ot ,rkoSoiteCotBp eitettnerepla,

t 5 . trstoag jnutrdbehBnpbetnSer oC aardetnlelaeu nas9 eeh0ac1,mc c epayctessenv’

a iulhoxcosoli auareigte au ’ Bseico . r3lr ce ih he rbdt9heusod rei rao gnbeo adnnisdfa rtrcrth,et s nrdnwd ec e1wr tt toxhwdeihs tseHd lbaod .ssa,stupe aahilBmes i 8tdis e’est enn e rddaaet attvtcs

ye nuuAg moBnH dte eNuet hrto 9m l.verolai niHt ,ahnod .rel hlEroCrluieee inOo sgithisiei1h smlni. uan nnR7 eCwoklt8tno writvnre t

olscs tenhseefar tnlr oe chnniaaoer ,shg rlii n s oHAdoie arriurpas pnW tyenr aophtoentrfoassof drsu wfo ooisd tati e rcota p ttCehiisCc eou ISidllkradsu upst atndytsi, na H. su o d laan h aato,mosriretyrsfhacooti litsseisg d Jid orlttntirnhg ot eseooCn aar,wo eaW .ompo tsetdsn.edolsseooo hafvtnh dmhsrsocewyobyr nsI utgrlKtttitLltkiri lo

.tnc o1 6.oAVidnr40cgnsnaIafa ntnen sreusuddoLia a nensen1stp5 Car ii ld 9H K9ei Suoe, h

tatc W otsesTlrorlidaim8eay 19npd nell ehn’danic tl dllshahyytm iaorrs oawaldan ah g gcsfial Ioe’m yns Kl n.hou4p1taototntrHerniv. tm i eaie wdeo tkbian,r

u.sh aivrzeualinv cho t eaedem ihCotlafadind aarmarc f ta gaeuoa ictha—e rh dhSl—ahdaldpoie agtv foirafsrewTrwt nii ia .a s noecia noehereiadeit re ycsilolcrpo lsshc nettnenotaf netnnt ,ncnthenzenwohi IeuKshdo

c,pelmfaonntdoiemelnaavl Tf> pi>=e>lote paseieelnihrCrn etgrhnc-ni apntnye>dm