Attorney Jeana Goosmann of the Goosmann Law Firm will argue an appeal from a jury verdict obtained in 2012 which awarded Rick Bertrand $231,000 against the Iowa Democratic Party and Rick Mullin. The Iowa Supreme Court will hear the matter on Thursday, January 23 at 1:30p.m. Link here.
The Court will hear this case, after two criminal cases in the same time slot. Video of the argument will be live streamed on the Iowa Judicial website. Link to view live.
“I will be championing the right, granted by the First Amendment, to have open, truthful discourse about matters of public concern, like the credibility of political candidates,” Goosmann states, “To allow knowing dishonesty in our political conversation contravenes the very purpose of the First Amendment, as well as Supreme Court and Iowa Supreme Court cases which uphold those values.”
The jury found that the Democrats’ television ad in the 2010 race for an Iowa Senate seat constituted libel and slander. The Iowa Democratic Party paid for the ad, which was approved by Rick Mullin, Bertrand’s opponent at the time. Jurors ordered Mullin to pay $31,000 and the Democratic Party $200,000. Bertrand says, “This case has the potential to lead the way for truthful, deliberative political discussions.”
“I look forward to arguing this matter, which is an important First Amendment case that played out in the state senate race of 2010. This case should send a message to political candidates across the nation that the law does not allow false statements made with knowledge or reckless disregard for the truth,” says Goosmann.
The court denied Bertrand’s motion for punitive damages, which left the jury unable to consider punitive damages in the verdict. Bertrand appealed the district court’s denial to submit punitive damages to the jury, and the Defendants also appealed the jury verdict.
Attorneys Jeana Goosmann and Emilee Boyle Gehling of the Goosmann Law Firm represent Rick Bertrand in this case.
Past case results do not indicate the outcome of your case and case results are not typical.