Recent Cases
At Mezibov Butler, the hard work, dedication and innovation of our attorneys is apparent from the results we achieve for our clients. Here are recent cases handled by our attorneys that made headlines both locally and nationally.
- Sunyak v. City of Cincinnati, et al. – Served as lead counsel in a precedent-setting class action lawsuit valued at approximately $50 million, brought on behalf of approximately 2,500 active municipal employees seeking to restore and maintain the value of pension benefits that had been reduced by a municipal ordinance. The terms of the settlement also established a consent decree conferring continued jurisdiction of the United States District Court over administration of the city’s retirement system for 25 years.
- Stein v. McGowan – Successfully represented a plaintiff physician in a defamation action resulting in a jury award of compensatory damages as well as punitive damages and attorney fees.
- Multi-Form Plastics Co. v. Houston Lay, et al. – Successfully represented an employee sued by his former employer, a manufacturer and distributor of molded plastics products, for alleged violation of trade secret restrictions.
- Minges v. Butler County Agricultural Society – Won a decision from the federal Court of Appeals reversing a summary judgment dismissing a family’s federal lawsuit against a county agricultural society for breach of contract and violation of their constitutional rights arising from the family’s disqualification from competing in a county fair. Following remand of the case, the family won a monetary settlement in a confidential amount from the county agricultural society.
- DeNoma v. Hamilton County Probation Department – Won a decision from the federal Court of Appeals reversing a summary judgment in favor of the Hamilton County, Ohio, Probation Department dismissing a female supervisor’s lawsuit for discrimination and retaliation arising from her failure to be promoted. Following remand of the case, the plaintiff won a monetary settlement in a confidential amount from the Hamilton County Probation Department.
- Appeals court overturns the conviction of a defendant denied his constitutional right to examine the computer evidence used against him in a criminal proceeding.
- Jury acquits former Riverside police officer of all criminal charges relating to his brief detention of an individual under investigation for threatening another.
- Jury awards former Hamilton County employee $135,000 for claims of race discrimination and retaliation. The plaintiff’s husband, the highest-ranking African-American within the county’s juvenile court, was fired after 22 years of service when, after learning he was being paid less than white employees at the same level, he filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
- Jury finds UPS liable for workers’ compensation retaliation and age discrimination after the company fired a veteran employee just weeks after the employee filed a claim for a job-related injury. Employee was ordered reinstated and awarded $330,000 in damages and attorneys fees.
- Jury awards former corporate executive $875,000 after employer failed to compensate him as promised at the time of his hire.
- Railroad, chemical company settle class action lawsuit filed by hundreds of Cincinnati area residents forced to evacuate their homes due to an abandoned train tanker leaking a hazardous chemical into the air.
- Veterans file class action lawsuit against United States Department of Veterans Affairs after personal information of over 17 million veterans, including Social Security numbers and medical information, is stolen.
- Ohio Secretary of State settles class action lawsuit over publication of Social Security numbers on its website and agrees to change its practices.
- Former Cincinnati mayors file taxpayers lawsuit to force Hamilton County to honor its contracts over the stalled multimillion-dollar Banks project.
- Appeals court rules that woman’s claims against Archdiocese of Cincinnati for forcing her to give up her child as a teenager after becoming impregnated by a priest should go forward.
- Woman files class action against Hamilton County Clerk of Courts after her identity is stolen by criminals who obtained her personal information, including Social Security number, from the Clerk of Court’s public website. Clerk of Courts changes publication practices just two days later.
- Bank settles class action lawsuit on behalf of subcontractors not paid in connection with Erpenbeck fraud.
- Cincinnati Bell settles class action lawsuit on behalf of customers improperly charged roaming fees.
- City of Cincinnati pays $70,000 to Over-the-Rhine man after jury finds that police officer violated his constitutional rights by entering his apartment without a warrant and physically arresting him for a minor misdemeanor noise violation.
- Jury finds city of Covington unlawfully retaliated against former police officer when it fired him after he filed a charge of disability discrimination with the EEOC.