SAKG Obtains Defense Verdict in Law Enforcement Retirement Benefits Appeal

On May 26, 2022, the SAKG team of Kelly Murphy, Brent Coverdale, and Sarah Newton achieved a defense verdict for a local law enforcement agency after a bench trial in Jackson County Circuit Court. The plaintiff was a former police officer who challenged the decision that his disability-related retirement be considered non-duty rather than a disability caused by the performance of his job. The case involved the interpretation of state retirement statutes and the agency’s scope of review. The SAKG team successfully defeated claims that the agency failed to follow the statutory scheme and the statutory procedures for disability retirement benefits.