Federal lawsuit against the Hub City is dismissed

JACKSON, Tenn.–“Show me the money, I mean that’s what it is,” said City of Jackson Attorney Lewis Cobb.

In February, the City of Jackson received a class-action lawsuit from several people arrested in Jackson and charged in city court.

These individuals claim their fourth and 14th Amendment rights were violated by warrants that were not properly sworn in by the city court clerk.

Jackson City Court Clerk Darryl Hubbard said he disagrees with these claims.

“I don’t think anybody was hurt per se. It was just an issue with the paperwork, it was nothing. We did nothing to violate anybody’s rights,” said Hubbard.

City of Jackson attorney Lewis Cobb said Monday the court dismissed the case due to technical errors.

“So they tried to sue civilly for damages. Judge Breen, he ruled that none of the plaintiffs that were included in this case have a claim,” Cobb said.

The lawsuit also alleged the plaintiffs were illegally held without probable cause. But court documents said two of the plaintiffs were released before being held for 48 hours.

“Because they have been lawfully arrested, one I think was arrested for kidnapping his girlfriend,” Cobb said.

Cobb said that person was later released within 24 hours.

“The people that are trying to get civil damages, the court ruled that they’re not entitled to anything,” Cobb said.

Cobb said the four other plaintiffs waited more than a year to file their lawsuit, which means the statute of limitations had run out.

“The court made a very wise decision, a common sense decision, that technicalities like this do not entitle a criminal whose plead guilty to civil damages,” Cobb said.

Hubbard said since the suit was dismissed, City Court will be making some changes.

“We’ve had a process change were trying to make sure we do everything by the books,” Hubbard said.

Cobb said the plaintiffs do have the right to appeal their case, but he doubts the court’s decision will be overturned.