Case against former Recorder Rice dismissed

Madison County Circuit Judge William Mudge dismissed a lawsuit brought against former Madison County Recorder of Deeds Matt Rice.

County employee Casey Hutson sued Rice last August, claiming she was fired for allegedly supporting his political rival.

The suit claimed that Rice, a Republican, fired Hutson in January 2012, allegedly for supporting Amy Meyer, a Democrat, in the Nov. 6 general election.

Meyer was elected and Hutson is re-employed in the Madison County Recorder’s Office.

Rice had told the Record during the course of the litigation that he cut the size of his office staff by two employees due to "necessary budget cuts to help make the county and our office more fiscally responsible.”

Hutson was represented by Michael Gras of the Law Office of Christopher Cueto in Belleville.

Philip J. Lading and Thomas E. Berry of Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard represented Rice.

Madison County Case number: 12-L-1319.