A lawsuit claiming former Camden Mayor Julian Lott sexual harrassed an employee has landed back in Ouachita County District Court once again.
Documents filed on September 20 show that the case was removed from Ouachita County District Court to federal court, in the Western District of Arkansas.
A brief filed on September 30 claims that the defendents in the case -- Lott, and the City of Camden -- "inappropriatly removed the case to this court and, thus, "this Court lacks Court lacks jurisdiction to transfer this matter to the Western District of Arkansas and should remand this matter to State Court for the reasons set out in the accompanying Brief."
On December 6, Chief Judge D. P. Marshall Jr. issued an order than remanded the matter back to Ouachita County.
Perrin is suing Lott and the City of Camden for $2 million, alleging violations of the federal Family Medical Leave Act, according to documents previously filed in Ouachita County Civil Court.
The documents state that Perrin was eligible for the FMLA and gave timely notice of her need for medical leave to take her child out of state due to a chronic condition.
The suit alleges that Perrin was terminated for absences associated with her child's illness.
Furthermore, the documents state that Perrin is requesting a trial by jury and seeking compensatory damages exceeding $1 million and punitive damages exceeding $1 million, as well as reinstatement or front pay and attorney's fees.
The amended suit follows an ongoing suit Perrin filed in 2022 related to sexual harassment, wherein Perrin alleges that Lott made repeated sexual advances toward her and that when she rebuffed him, he retaliated against her professionally.
Court records show that Luther Sutter and Lucien Gillham of the Little Rock-based Sutter and Gillham law firm are the attorneys on record for Perrin and that Gabrielle Gibson of the Arkansas Municipal League will represent Lott.
A motion filed by Lott on Dec. 27, 2022 refutes the harassment allegations and denies that Perrin "was subjected to discrimination during the course of her employment with the City on the basis of gender or any mental or physical disability."
The answer goes on to state that, "To the extent that Plaintiff sustained damages, the damages are a direct and proximate result of Plaintiff's own conduct," and "Plaintiff has pled a factually insufficient case to warrant the imposition of punitive damages."
The suit was originally filed on Sept. 29, 2022.
The suit requests damages to be awarded due to Perrin's alleged loss of past and future income, medical bills she sustained as a result of the harassment, extreme emotional distress resulting from the harassment, pain and suffering and "other damages, all in a sum and amount in excess of the minimum amount necessary to confer jurisdiction upon the United States District Court in a diversity of citizenship case."
Perrin's 17-page court filing goes on to allege inappropriate workplace behavior from Lott, including propositions for sexual intercourse, retaliation for turning him down and open discussion about "his infidelity, sexual conquests and prowess."
Perrin was ultimately fired from her position as assistant to the mayor on Oct. 1, 2022.
Lott's response denies all allegations of inappropriate behavior at the office, and denies that punitive damages are warranted.
"With respect to Plaintiff, Defendants acted reasonably, not maliciously, and in good faith," the response states.