Hanszen Laporte Obtains a Take-nothing Judgment in Favor of the Client

April 13, 2021

After a years’ long litigious battle, Hanszen Laporte Partner Jeffrey Dorrell obtained a take-nothing judgment in favor of his client, former district judge Layne Walker.  Judge Walker said “My family and I are grateful to finally have this ugly chapter of our lives behind us.”

A $10,000,000 lawsuit was filed against 25 defendants alleging a vast conspiracy to “maliciously prosecute” process server Stephen Hartman for creating a disturbance in the courtroom as he tried to serve process on a judge during court proceedings in May 2013. Deputies instructed Hartman to leave, but had to forcibly remove Hartman after he refused to comply. That launched a series of five federal and state lawsuits and included a $29,000 sanction against Hartman’s lawyer for “unreasonably and vexatiously multiplying the proceedings." The saga finally came to an end on April 13, 2021, when the 58th District Court of Jefferson County granted final summary judgment in favor of the sole remaining defendant, former Judge Walker.  Dorrell stated, “it’s nice when the courts do justice”.

At Hanszen Laporte we continue fight for justice and prove to deliver results for our clients, no matter the circumstances or global challenges.