Some defendants in former Carthage city admin lawsuit cite “sovereign immunity” as response deadline looms
CARTHAGE, Mo. — The deadline for the defendants named in the case of Dagnan versus the City of Carthage et al. to file their response to the lawsuit has arrived.
But instead of responding, some are asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit.
As we’ve told you, former city administrator Greg Dagnan filed a defamation lawsuit, naming all the city council members individually and in their capacity as council members the political action committee Carthage Citizens United and the City of Carthage.
Carthage City Councilmembers attend Sunshine Law training
The motion to dismiss the suit against the city and its council members cites a legal doctrine known as “sovereign immunity.” And the attorney for Carthage Citizens United – Bill Lasley – says Dagnan has no right to bring any action against CCU for a number of reasons including that CCU is a political action committee and has no employees.
As of Friday, only the City of Carthage and CCU have filed responses to the lawsuit. In Missouri, defendants named in a lawsuit have 30 days from the date of service to reply to that lawsuit.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
