Callis
Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis has received a letter from attorneys in a suit stemming from a music teacher's sexual relationship with a teenager about possible appellate action.
The docket entry noting the letter in the case file is incomplete and a copy of the letter was not available Monday.
Callis currently oversees a suit brought by the girl's mother, Jane Doe, against the O'Fallon School District #203 and its teacher's union for damages in excess of $50,000 and other relief.
Jane Doe claims that O'Fallon and the teacher's union concealed evidence of former music teacher Matthew Lang's inappropriate relationships with students from the Alton school district when it was in the process of hiring Lang.
Lang then became a music teacher in the Alton district and began his sexual relationship with the plaintiff's daughter, Mary Doe.
Lang pled guilty earlier this year to criminal charges in connection with the relationship.
While Lang remains a defendant in the civil suit, the Alton district was dropped from the case earlier this year.
The O'Fallon defendants had moved to send the case to St. Clair County, arguing that the alleged acts took place there and that it had a greater connection to the case.
The O'Fallon defendants also tried unsuccessfully to have the claims against them severed from those against Lang.
Callis denied the moves in an order entered late last month.
Thomas Falb represents the Does.
James Craney represents the O'Fallon district.
No attorney is listed for Lang in the civil case.
The case was previously assigned to Madison County Circuit Judge Daniel Stack.
The case is Madison case number 09-L-886.