JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville filed a motion this to remove Judge Adrian Soud from a lawsuit filed to block the expanded Humans Rights Ordinance that passed by City Council in February to extend protections against housing and employment to the LGBTQ community from discrimination in hiring and housing.
In its lawsuit, Liberty Council claimed the amendment is illegal because of the way it was written. It also asks the court to declare the HRO expansions null and void while stopping the city from enforcing any of those protections.
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Attorney Roger Gannam, vice president of legal affairs for the Liberty Counsel, filed the suit March 1 against the ordinance on behalf of John Parsons. Sound was assigned as the trial judge to the lawsuit, but the city's Office of General Counsel said that Soud has a bias that may influence his action in the lawsuit.
Soud was assigned to the lawsuit more than three weeks before the undersigned counsel was informed that Gannam has close ties to Soud’s mother, Ginger Soud. Gannam and Ginger Soud have both been working to oppose the HRO since at least 2012, according to the lawsuit.
Additionally, Judge Soud and his father have held executive positions at First Baptist Church since at least 2012. The church has consistently opposed the City Council’s efforts to enact the HRO amendment and similar legislation.
Deputy General Counsel Jason Teal said he believes that Judge Soud’s involvement with First Baptist Church would make it difficult for him to give the city a fair hearing in the trial.
COURT DOCUMENTS: Lawsuit filed over HRO amendment | City's motion to dismiss
Teal said that the assertions in the motion were made in good faith and that this is not a personal attack against Soud or his family.
But the motion filed by the city claims the suit "lacks standing," and goes on to say "the complaint fails to allege a specific injury," according to the court document.
Liberty Council filed a legal response to the city's motion on Judge Soud, saying that his relationship with his mother and his church membership are not disqualifying. Liberty's attorney wrote that the city's motion "flounders about for rationale."