Crowder
A woman who allegedly left her husband trapped in a bathtub for two days without food is asking a Madison County court to sever two counts in a lawsuit he filed against her.
Thomas Dodd is suing Carol Dodd for allegedly leaving him stranded in a bathtub after he had fallen. In the suit, he also alleges she forged his signature to cash out more than $190,000 from his investment account and then purchased two CDs in her and her sister's names.
In her April 9 motion, Carol Dodd asks Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder to sever two counts of her husband's suit pertaining to the Uniform Commercial Code and breach of contract claims.
She cites the case's rapid pace and argues that the claims would waste the court's time.
Carol Dodd filed the move on April 9.
Crowder is set to hear the move May 14 at 9 a.m.
The Dodds are currently in the process of ending their over 20-year marriage in another Madison County case. Carol Dodd was 62 at the time she filed for divorce in 2007 on grounds of irreconcilable differences from Thomas Dodd, who was 74 at the time.
In his suit, Thomas Dodd also names Ameren Services Co. and Granite City Steel Federal Credit Union for damages of at least $50,000 a count and for the return of the $191,000.
Claims for contribution have already been filed by the defendants against one another.
At a previous hearing in Thomas Dodd's case, Crowder froze the $191,000 until both the divorce and the civil suit have been resolved.
Crowder did not, however, grant a request by Carol Dodd's attorneys to stay the civil case entirely until the divorce wraps up.
Thomas Dodd is represented by Thomas Burkart. He had originally been represented by Mark Levy.
Ameren Services Company is represented by Gordon Broom. Gary Meddows appeared on behalf of Ameren on Tuesday.
Carol Dodd is represented in the civil suit by Alexander Wilson.
The Dodd divorce is assigned to Madison County Associate Judge Stephen Stobbs.
The case had originally been assigned to Madison County Circuit Judge Daniel Stack. It was then transferred to Madison Chief Judge Ann Callis due to Stack's announced 2010 retirement. The parties then asked to substitute Callis out of the case.
The case then went to Crowder.
The case is Madison case number 08-L-606.