Local businessman sues NCQC

By Staff, 07/27/17 1:30 PM

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PRESCOTT – Suit has been filed against members of the Nevada County Quorum Court for defamation of character.

According to the suit, all Justices of the Peace, Dennis Pruitt, Willie Wilson, Ryan Harvey, Curtis Lee Johnson, Bob Cummings, Herbert Coleman, Kenneth Baily, George Smith and Brenda Stockton have been named defendants in a civil suit filed by Donny and Nicky McGuire on behalf of M&M Towing. The suit alleges the court defamed his character after the company sold the county a used road grader. The complaint was filed on July 24.

In April 2017, the suit states, McGuire learned Nevada County was looking for a road grader and found one. McGuire purchased it from another party, contacted Nevada County to see if the county still needed or wanted it. He was informed the county was still in the market for a grader and the two parties reached an agreement with the county paying the agreed upon price. The county let bids for a grader and received two bids, with McGuire’s being the lowest.

The suit claims the court and JP George Smith began publishing “mistruths” about the McGuire’s to a third party concerning the deal, with an item being published in the local newspaper stating the McGuire’s had unfairly marked up the price of the grader and overcharged the county. The suit claims Smith lied about the deal and the intentions and actions of the McGuires and published false statements about them.

The suit claims the court was negligent in determining the truth before publishing statements, which led to the plaintiffs suffering “severe damage” as a result of the court’s “invasion of privacy” by giving publicity to the matter concerning the plaintiffs which placed their business in a false light.

The suit seeks judgement against the NCQC, attorney’s fees and court costs, with post judgement interest.

The McGuire’s are being represented by Justin B. Hurst of Hot Springs.

 

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