A wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Portland and a city firefighter over the drowning death of a man who was being pursued by police, has been dismissed. Eric Cohen died on April 12, 2020 after he jumped into the frigid bay waters ..read more

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for November 27, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a jury award of $250,000 to a former Houston firefighter against her former captain who shared an intimate video of her; a Minnesota city held in contempt of court for trying to start its own fire department; a ruling by ..read more

A Harris County jury has awarded a former Houston firefighter $250,000 in damages against her former captain for unlawfully sharing a nude video of her. Melinda Abbt filed suit against Captain John Chris Barrientes and the city, alleging sexual harassment and violation of a Texas law titled “Unlawful Disclosure or Promotion of Intimate Visual Material ..read more

A Minnesota judge has found the City of Orono to be in contempt of court for violating her earlier order in a suit brought by the City of Long Lake over the breach of a fire protection agreement. The two cities, along with the City of Medina, are parties to an agreement whereby the Long Lake FD would provide services to the 3 communities ..read more

The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that a trial judge erred when he dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit brought against the City of Detroit by the husband of a woman who died in a crash with a responding DFD engine. India D. Sullivan died several months after the December 4, 2017 crash ..read more

A nurse who was hired by a Missouri fire department in April, 2022 has filed suit claiming that sexual harassment forced her to request a reduction to part-time status in September, 2022 and resign in December, 2022. Christeena Ferguson filed suit alleging 3 counts of sexual harassment and discrimination against the Southern Jackson County Fire Protection District ..read more

The State of Nevada has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by eight inmate firefighters who claim they were mistreated while serving with the Nevada Division of Forestry. The suit was brought by the ACLU of Nevada and alleged the firefighters were subjected to cruel and unusual punishment ..read more

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for November 20, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss charges brought against an Indiana firefighter accused with impersonating a police officer; an Alabama firefighter who pled guilty to charges of stealing fentanyl from the fire department’s inventory;  a ruling in a complex wrongful death suit that questions whether a ..read more

An Indiana firefighter who claims he stopped to assist a motorist whose vehicle was damaged, has been charged with four felonies after he reportedly pointed a gun at the driver after being informed by dispatch the man was “wanted” and could be armed. Yorktown firefighter Derek J. Rains is charged of criminal confinement, criminal recklessness, pointing a firearm, and impersonation of a law enforcement officer ..read more

A federal court has refused to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit filed against a West Virginia firefighter and his fire department over the death of a couple at a fire scene in Ohio. William A. Reed, Jr. and Karolyn Reed died on April 29, 2021 at the scene of a mobile home fire when they were struck by a backing fire truck ..read more