Supreme Court refuses lawsuit

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear a wrongful termination suit against Columbia County.

Now former County Clerk Elaine Matthews has until April 25 to ask justices to take a second look at her case, but only if she can provide them with new information.

If she doesn't ask for the reconsideration, the nearly 10-year-old saga will be over.

"We'll wait for that 25-day window to end before we declare it over," said Columbia County's attorney, Doug Batchelor.

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Matthews spent 17 years with Columbia County before being fired by a 3-1 vote in June 1993. She later sued, contending three county commissioners - Richard Reynolds, Diane Ford and David Titus - voted to fire her because she voiced objections to an $8 million landfill contract with a Florida man later convicted of federal crimes.

In July 2000, a jury found that only Reynolds, not Ford or Titus, was motivated to fire Mrs. Matthews by an unconstitutional motive. That jury also blamed the county for the firing. However, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision - and the $385,000 award to Matthews - in June.

Matthews' attorney filed a petition for writ of certiorari - a document asking the Supreme Court to hear the case - in December. Justices denied that petition March 31.