Casa Grande Dispatch
A state appellate court has overturned a judge’s decision and ruled in favor of Pinal County and a former top county official sued by another county official.
The Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the county and former County Manager Fritz Behring had immunity that provided them with a complete defense in the lawsuit filed by Timothy Gaffney.
Gaffney was director of communications for the county Sheriff’s Office in 2013 when he sued the county and Behring, alleging defamation, negligence, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress and abuse of process.
The appellate court’s ruling overturned a Maricopa County Superior Court judge’s denial of the defendants’ request for a pretrial ruling on immunity grounds.
