On June 27, 2019, the Supreme Court of Virginia reversed a ruling by the Patrick County Circuit Court, and found in favor of the defendant, the former superintendent for Patrick County Public Schools, in a defamation lawsuit. In the suit, a former county school principal claimed she was defamed when removed from her post by the school system’s superintendent.

GWCL attorney, Jim H. Guynn Jr., who represented the defendant, argued from the beginning that the case lacked legal merit and should be dismissed. While the circuit court judge agreed that the plaintiff’s defamation claim was not actionable, he nonetheless allowed the case to proceed to trial which resulted in a jury verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The judge acknowledged in his opinion that “I have always felt this was a message case, and for that reason…I allowed the plaintiff to have her full day in court.” He continued that “I am virtually certain that this verdict is legally flawed and will not survive scrutiny,” therefore expecting the case to be overturned in appeal. The high court wrote in its opinion that “the attitude expressed in the [circuit court’s] letter opinion is deeply troubling. It displays a profound misapprehension of the proper role and responsibilities of a judge.”

While Guynn, Waddell, Carroll & Lockaby is satisfied with the ultimate outcome of the case, it is unfortunate for all parties involved that the case was unnecessarily prolonged.

For the full text of the Virginia Supreme Court’s opinion, please click here