A lawsuit filed earlier this year in Oakland County Circuit Court by June Wuopio against the Brandon School District has been moved to federal court.
The case has been assigned to Sean Cox, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan and a preliminary trial date is set for July or August of next year.
‘The defendant has the option to go to federal court if there is a federal issue,? said Sarah Prescott, attorney for Wuopio. ‘It’s a very standard move. I don’t know why they think they will get a more favorable hearing there.?
Prescott and attorney Deborah Gordon filed the suit on behalf of Wuopio on Feb. 21 against the Brandon Board of Education, aka Brandon School District, and Superintendent Tom Miller, along with Marian Horowitz, current Boardmember Beth Nuccio and former boardmembers Ken Quisenberry and Gina Muzzarelli.
The 13-page complaint claims Wuopio’s rights to freedom of speech under the Michigan Constitution and under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, her statutory rights under the Bullard-Plawecki Act; and her due process rights under the United States Constitution were all violated.
Prescott said the period which is allowed for both sides to conduct discovery of evidence won’t close until Nov. 26. Immediately after, the sides will go to court-ordered mediation and there will be time for motions to be filed.