(Indianapolis IN) - The Indiana Court of Appeals has reinstated a jury verdict in favor of former La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz, rejecting efforts by former La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman to secure a new trial in a long-running defamation lawsuit.  

 

The defamation case, which was filed by Friedman in 2021, has centered on claims by Friedman that Stabosz defamed him in public statements and social media posts.  At the root of those public statements has been Stabosz accusations of corruption by saying Friedman acted as an "overlord of La Porte County government, coercing, intimidating, and terrorizing public officials to do his bidding".   In his defense against these allegations, Friedman points to a 2022 La Porte County Grand Jury ruling which found no criminal charges were warranted on any of the allegations reviewed from a seven month investiation into political corruption in La Porte County.

 

After a week-long trial in June 2024, a La Porte County jury rendered a verdict in favor of Stabosz in the defamation case.  Stephen R. Bowers, the special judge from Elkhart County presiding over the case, later vacated the verdict citing confusion over jury instructions, but he did so three days after the legal deadline for vacating a verdict.  This lead to Bowers rescinding his order for a new trial, which ultimately resulted in the appeal by Friedman for a new trial to the Indiana Court of Appeals.

 

In the opinion rendered by the appellate court on Monday, it found the belated order by Judge Bowers to be void by rule of law, affirming the original verdict and finding the jury was properly instructed on defamation law.

 

Stabosz celebrated the decision, calling it a victory for free political speech and transparency in government.

 

“There could be no better Christmas gift for me, but also for La Porte County government and its people,” Stabosz said, framing the lawsuit as an attempt to silence his criticism of county leadership.

 

Meanwhile, Friedman continues to maintain the jury was misled and the case should be offered a new trial.

 

“There is no question they were confused by the jury instructions, which is why Judge Bowers vacated the verdict and ordered a new trial—unfortunately, he did it three days late,” Friedman said.

 

In a statement to HTNN after the decision by the Court of Appeals, Friedman signaled potential next steps in this legal battle.

 

"This case has already been up to the Indiana Supreme Court once before and I anticipate we will be headed there again", Friedman said.