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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Public Defender Adams Sues County

Kootenai County's public defender filed a $1.5 million claim accusing the county of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Idaho Human Rights Act. County commissioners in March 2013 passed - and soon after rescinded - a resolution that would have ended John Adams' longtime career as the county's public defender. A tort claim filed in September by Adams and his wife, Teresa, alleges commissioners made the decision to fire Adams after he told Commissioner Todd Tondee he was battling cancer. Though the county's three commissioners voted unanimously not to renew Adams' contract that fall, Tondee later told The Press that he was the only one on the board who knew of Adams' medical condition. Their decision generated a groundswell of support for Adams and strong backlash from other attorneys in the community/Taryn Thompson, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: Do you think Public Defender Adams has a good case?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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