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Peter J. Sacopulos

Partner

Specializing in Civil Litigation, Equine Law, Mediation and Arbitration, Trust and Estate Law

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Peter J. Sacopulos

Peter Sacopulos is a graduate of Tulane University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction. He also holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law-Indianapolis. He is admitted to practice in both Indiana and Illinois.

After graduating from law school, he joined former United States Supreme Court Justice Abraham Fortas’ law firm, Fortas, Prokop and Hardman, in Washington, D.C. For more than 30 years, he has practiced law before administrative agencies, and in both state and federal courts. He is a senior partner in the law firm of Sacopulos Johnson & Sacopulos located in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Mr. Sacopulos is both a registered civil mediator and a family law mediator. He has represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants in mediations and arbitrations as well as served as a selected and court-appointed mediator in hundreds of mediations.

Pete has represented clients in both state and federal court civil litigation on matters including personal injury claims, contract disputes, commercial transactions, and general litigation. He has done so in trial courts in Indiana and Illinois and before the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Supreme Court as well as in federal district courts.

Pete represents licensees before state agencies and regulators in Indiana and Illinois in both the administrative and judicial processes. His clients have the distinction of being the only successful Indiana litigants, adverse to the Indiana Horse Racing Commission, before the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Supreme Court. In addition to representing those in the racing industry, he has and continues to represent clients in a wide range of equine matters including liveryman liens, foal share agreements, syndication of stallions, and insurance and contractual disputes, as well as representing various veterinarians, trainers, owners, and track officials.

Mr. Sacopulos has previously served as President of the Terre Haute Bar Association from 1999-2000. He is presently a member of the Board of Directors and an elected officer of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (ITOBA). In 2015, he was appointed to the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development Advisory Committee by then Indiana Governor and former United States Vice President, Mike Pence, and served in that appointed capacity until 2019. In 2018, Pete was elected to serve as a Board Member of Indiana Landmarks. He is also a member of the Indiana National Road Association, Indiana Horse Counsel, and American Horse Council.

Published Articles and Publications - Written by Peter J. Sacopulos

https://www.sacopulos.com/author/peter-j-sacopulos/

Peter has turned his passion for horses as well as many years of industry knowledge into a prestigious and knowledgeable expert currently writing as a freelance writer for the 'Trainer Magazine' and 'The Horsemen's Journal'. Read more of Peter's professional equestrian advice and knowledge today: https://www.sacopulos.com/author/peter-j-sacopulos/

1984
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December

Tulane University

Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, Cum laude

1988
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March

Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis

Doctor of Jurisprudence

  • Fellow, Indiana Bar Foundation
  • Indiana Defense Lawyers Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • American Trial Lawyers Association
  • Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Judicature Society
  • American Academy of Hospital Attorneys
  • District 7 Representative of the American Citizenship Committee of the Indiana State Bar Association
  • Past President of the Terre Haute Bar Association (1999-2000)
  • Indiana, American, and Federal Bar Associations
  • Terre Haute Bar Association
  • The State Bar of Indiana
  • The Federal District Courts for the Northern District of Indiana
  • The Federal District Courts for the Southern District of Indiana
  • Illinois Bar Association

He has published more than 30 articles on various aspects of equine law. His publications appear in Trainer magazine, The Horsemen’s Journal, The Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture and Natural Resource Law, Equus and The Practical Horseman. His articles include:

** READ  MORE CURRENT ARTICLES PUBLISHED BY PETER J. SACOPULOS **

In addition, he has presented at numerous seminars and lectured on issues of equine law including the National Equine Law Seminar, the Saratoga Institute, and the National HBPA Convention. He has and continues to serve as a lecturer for the Indiana Continuing Education Legal Forum and for the Racing Officials Accreditation Program. These presentations include:

  • February 19, 2024 Viticus Group WVC annual conference in Las Vegas
  • May 3 & 4, 2023 37th Annual National Conference on Equine Law, The University of Kentucky College of Law
  • March 6-10, 2023 National HBPA 2023 Annual Conference
  • July 16, 2022 Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance to Hold Free Barn Fire Seminar
  • July 2, 2022 Churchill Downs to Host Jockeys & Jeans Benefit Stephen Foster Day
  • March 30, 22 ICLEF Equine Law: State and Federal Update Online Seminar
  • 2022 National HBPA Conference, Arkansas, March 1-5, 2022 HISA: Where Are We Now? – Pete Sacopulos
  • 2021 Saratoga Racing and Gaming Conference August 16-17, 2021
    Topic: “Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act: What is in it and Why is it Important to the Industry?”
  • University of Louisville–Racing Officials Accreditation School July 12-19, 2021
    Topic: The Trainer Responsibility Rule and The Regulator’s Role in Considering and Applying Mitigating and Aggravating Factors and Issuing Rulings that Withstand Arbitrary and Capricious Challenges
    Topic: Justify, Jimson Weed and Justice: From the Racetrack to the Courtroom
  • University of Louisville—Racing Officials Accreditation Program CE December 14 & 15, 2020
    Topic: Senate Bill 4547: Review, Analysis and Concerns
  • University of Louisville MBA Program October 2020
    Topic: “Regulatory Law in the Thoroughbred Industry”
  • University of Louisville March 2020
    Topic: “Justify, Jimson Weed & Justice: From the Racetrack to the Courtroom”
    Topic: “The Jerry Hollendorfer Litigation: Why the Issues in Dispute Are Important For All Horsemen”
  • Racing Officials Accreditation Program & The Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, April 2019
    Topic: “The Stewards/Judges Hearing: Ensuring Consistency In The Procedural Process, Penalties for Violations, And Due Process”
  • University of Louisville March 2019
    Topic: “Social Media And The Horse Industry”
    Topic: “Out of Competition Testing”
    Topic: “Equine Liability Act: Analysis and Discussion”
  • Racing Officials Accreditation Program CE Louisville, KY November 2018
    Topic: “The Stewards/Judges Hearing: Ensuring Consistency In The Procedural Process, Penalties for Violations, And Due Process”
  • NAARV 5th Annual Meeting & Symposium November 2018
    Topic: “The Administrative & Judicial Process, State Veterinarian Records, and Recent Drug Positive Decisions”
    Topic: “Panel Discussion: Spotlight on Environmental Substances Showing Up At Trace Levels In Racehorses/Legal Approaches to Trace Level Identifications of Environmental Substances”
  • ICLEF April 2018
    Topic: “Indiana Equine Case Law: An Overview and Update”
  • National HBPA Convention, March 2018
    Topic: “Horsemen as Citizen Marketers: Be Part of the Solution”
  • Saratoga Institute on Racing and Gaming Law, August 2017
    Topic: “Recent Racing Regulatory Developments” Panel Member
  • ARCI Conference on Racing Integrity and Welfare, April 2017
    Topic: “The Adjudication System: Is There a Better Way?”
  • National HBPA Convention, March 2017
    Topic: “Responding to a Positive: Obtaining and Using Scientific Data to Your Best Legal and Forensic Advantage”
    Topic: “Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution as Applied to the Administrative proceedings with State Commissions”
  • Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2016
    Topic: “Keeping Them Safe: Protecting a Horse after Sale”
  • Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2015
    Topic: “A Federal Regulation of Horse Racing: Is It Needed? Panel Chair
  • National HBPA 2015 Winter Convention, February 2015
    Topic: “Out-of-Competition Testing Forum”
  • ICLEF Equine Law Seminar, June 2014
    Topic: “Liabilities with Buying, Selling, Leasing and Boarding Horses”
  • Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2014
    Topic: “Legal Issues Regarding Race Horse Acquisition/Legal Complexities of Race Horse Ownership”
  • Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2013
    Topic: “Drug Testing and the Racing Industry: Process and Regulatory Reform”
  • Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2012
    Topics: “A New NYRA with a New Regulatory Framework”
  • Indiana Horse Racing Commission Standardbred Trainer Seminar, July 2012
    Topics: “Indiana Worker’s Compensation: Responsibilities, Issues and Analysis”
  • Indiana Horse Racing Commission Thoroughbred Trainer Seminar, June 2012
    Topics: “Indiana Worker’s Compensation: Responsibilities, Issues and Analysis”
  • National Equine Law Conference, May 2011
    Topics: “Effective and Innovative Discovery Methods and Requests in Equine Litigation”
    “Utilizing Captive Insurance in the Equine Industry”