Dobson suit dismissed

The lawsuit filed by former Election Administrator Stan Dobson against the Cannon County Election Commission has been dismissed in Chancery Court.

Attorney Stephen Chambers originally filed the suit under Tennessee's Open Meetings law on Oct. 25, 2012. The suit was amended on Jan. 3, 2013 by the addition of Auburntown resident Geoffrey Ganoe as a plaintiff.

Chambers subsequently filed, in behalf of Dobson and Ganoe, on Nov. 18 a notice of voluntary dismissal without prejudice, which means, technically, the suit could be refiled again later.

In his original suit, Dobson claimed that the Election Commission failed to give adequate public notice of the July 2, 2012 meeting at which he was terminated thus violating Tennessee's Open Meetings Law.

As a result, Dobson asked the court to order the Election Commission to reinstate him as Administrator of Elections for Cannon County. He also asked for back pay and for his life insurance benefits to be reinstated.

In its answers to the suit, County Attorney Michael Corley said Dobson was the one who prepared the original public notice for the July 2, 2012 meeting. Additionally, "the Cannon County Election Commission has discussed and reconsidered the action" taken against Dobson multiple times during a number of public meetings, Corley said.

"The plaintiff, Stanley Dobson, possesses no right to public office and can maintain no action seeking reinstatement," Corley concluded in the court documents