Monday, March 27, 2023

Joplin R-8 reaches settlement in secretive lawsuit filed by "Mary Doe"


Lawyers representing the Joplin R-8 School District and a woman who suing the district have reached a settlement, but the entire case remains behind a veil of secrecy.

The first filing in the case, which is labeled "Mary Doe vs. Joplin School District" came on February 3 in Jasper County Circuit Court, is a petition to approve a settlement between the sides, but that petition and the nature of the case have been sealed, as well as the identity of the woman.








The woman's attorney, Daniel Graham Curry of the Kansas City law firm of Brown & Curry made the first filing confidential, according to online court records and three days after the initial filing entered a memorandum supporting keeping his client's confidentiality.

Online records indicate the school district has no problems with the arrangement.








The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 3 before Judge Joseph Hensley.

A Turner Report Sunshine Law request to the district for information on the settlement received the following response:

Mary Doe vs. Joplin School District is still pending, and the case is not disposed. Therefore, according to 610.021 RSMo. there are no settlement records to provide at this time.

 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am so far removed from the rumor mill…someone tell me what this is about!!