posted April 9, 2008
Democratic sheriff candidate Greg Beck on Wednesday afternoon filed suit against the city, saying he should not be required to give up his job as court officer to City Judge Sherry Paty.
Chancellor Frank Brown signed a restraining order blocking the city from discontinuing paying Mr. Beck for his court officer work.
The case will be assigned to Chancellor Howell Peoples, and a hearing is to be set within 15 days.
Mr. Beck's city pay was due to run out at the end of this week under the directive from Personnel Director Donna Kelley.
Ms. Kelley cited a city ordinance declaring that city employees who run for public office must take a leave of absence.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Jerry Summers, says Mr. Beck is a special employee of the judicial branch of city government and not an employee under the administrative branch of city government.
It also says he is "not a wealthy individual" and he and his family are dependent on his continuing to receive his city salary.
It says the city ordinance requiring city employees who run for office to take leaves should be declared unconstitutional.
Mr. Beck was involved in a prior Chancery Court lawsuit with the city, and he won.
Chancellor Peoples ruled in 2005 that Mr. Beck could remain in his city job and continue serving on the County Commission.
Mr. Beck said Wednesday he had planned at some point to take a leave of absence from his court officer job to campaign fulltime, but he said he was not yet ready to do so.
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