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Lawsuit Against KSR Will Be Heard In Kentucky

Associated Press

An NCAA basketball official’s lawsuit against Kentucky Sports Radio has been officially moved. The Courier Journal reports that Attorneys for NCAA Ref John Higgins previously argued that their client would "face substantial obstacles to a fair trial in Kentucky.” Higgins is suing Kentucky Sports Radio and operators Matt Jones and Drew Franklin, alleging they caused harm to him, his family and his business by sharing personal information online and during radio broadcasts.

It all started after Higgins officiated Kentucky’s Elite Eight loss to North Carolina last March. After the game, UK fans flooded social media with death threats and negative comments on his business sites. The suit claims Jones and Franklin encouraged the behavior on the air and gave out Higgins personal info so that fans could continue to hound him. The suit calls for an award of damages in excess of $75,000. 

Attorneys for Jones and Franklin said the defendants "did not purposefully aim any activities" at the state of Nebraska. In an affidavit attached to the motion, Jones said he never encouraged anyone to defame or harm anyone and instead advised his listeners not to.

The Court clearly lacks general jurisdiction over the defendants," Judge Robert Rossiter ruled that the case should be heard in a “jurisdiction that can obtain personal jurisdiction over each of the defendants.” It will be heard in the Eastern District of Kentucky.