Worth jarrell press & notable accomplishments
Worth Jarrell Secures Permanent Injunction from Fulton County Judge in Action to Enforce Non-Compete Agreement
On October 29, 2020, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick entered a permanent injunction in an action to enforce a non-compete/non-solicitation agreement. Worth Jarrell shareholders Jonathan Jarrell and Kimberly Worth played major roles in this victory for a long-time client. Jonathan Jarrell drafted the agreement that was enforced while Kimberly Worth’s argument successfully persuaded the court to find in favor of our client. Read the Order here.
Worth Jarrell Secures Six-Figure Fee Award In Action to Enforce Non-Compete Agreement
On August 19, 2021, a Fulton County Judge entered an Order awarding to a Worth Jarrell client its fees and costs incurred in the action in the amount of $ 246,245.02, agreeing with shareholder Kimberly Worth’s argument in support of the fee award. In the Order, the Court noted the remedy sought and the relief granted in the form of striking the Defendants’ Answer due to the Defendants’ bad acts during the litigation. Read the Order here.
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February 21, 2017
In 2016, a top Georgia emergency response official who was threatened with being fired in the middle of Hurricane Matthew received a large pay increase as part of a settlement agreement with the agency. Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell negotiated a settlement for the client after he was targeted by the department’s director. The client retained his job and received a salary increase of more than $20,000 per year.
April 23, 2015
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A former vice president contends he was fired from his position as Vice President for Financial Management at the Georgia Lottery after he refused to present inflated sales projections to the lottery board. Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell filed a whistleblower lawsuit in 2015, which Lottery officials described as “baseless.” A Fulton County Superior Court Judge denied the Georgia Lottery’s motion for summary judgment. Superior Court Judge Alfred Dempsey found that the VP had “exemplary” performance reviews while working and that a jury should decide the facts relating to his termination. The Georgia Lottery ultimately settled the case before trial for $500,000.
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For additional articles on the case, read here:
Former Georgia Lottery Official Files Whistleblower Lawsuit
Man Says Lottery Axed Him for Truth Telling
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March 22, 2017
After being fired from her job, a black former GOP employee contacted Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell; a lawsuit was filed in Federal Court for retaliation and discrimination. In March 2017, a U.S. District Judge ruled that there was enough evidence to allow the former employee’s claim that she was improperly fired in retaliation after she complained about her treatment in the office to go to trial. The Judge found that the Georgia GOP’s “shifting reasons” for her firing were enough evidence to let the employee’s complaint stand.
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Bartow County School District to Pay $251,000 to Settle a Whistleblower Lawsuit
March 30, 2017
In 2016, a former Curriculum Director for the Bartow County School District filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that she was retaliated against after she reported sexual harassment within the school district. Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell represented the former administrator in her lawsuit. Bartow County ultimately settled the case for $251,000.
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Former State Education Official Files Whistleblower Suit
April 6, 2017
The former Title Programs Director for the Georgia Department of Education, represented by Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell, filed a whistleblower lawsuit in March 2017 alleging that she was retaliated against after she opposed the control of an outside lobbyist over Department policies. The Fulton County Superior Court denied the Department’s motion for summary judgment and held that the case could proceed to a trial. Prior to trial, the Department settled the case.
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Georgia Settles Whistleblower Complaint against the Former Head of the National Guard
April 6, 2015
The Georgia Department of Defense agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a whistleblower lawsuit filed in July 2014 by Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell on behalf of the agency’s former spokeswoman. The former official alleged that she was retaliated against after she refused to cover up for the “unethical and inappropriate conduct” of the former Adjutant General.
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Ex-Ethics Chief in Georgia Wins Retaliation Lawsuit
April 4, 2014
On April 4, 2014, a Fulton County Superior Court jury returned a verdict of $700,000 in favor of the former Director of Georgia's Ethics Commission (now known as the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission). In her lawsuit, the Director alleged her salary was cut and her deputy was fired for investigating ethics complaints against the Governor. During closing arguments, counsel Kimberly Worth argued that “her client faced direct retaliation for zealously pursuing an investigation into the complaints” against the Governor’s campaign. After less than two hours of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict for the Director; the State of Georgia ultimately settled the lawsuit for $1.15 million dollars to include back pay and attorney’s fees and costs in addition to the jury’s award of compensatory damages.
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The Kalberman trial and subsequent Motion for Sanctions against the Attorney General’s Office received so much National attention that they were the subject of numerous cartoons by Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, Mike Luckovich:
Mike Luckovich Cartoon 'Watchdog'
For additional articles on the case, read here:
Government Fights Subpoena for Ethics Whistleblower Trial
Ex-Ethics Chief in Georgia Wins Retaliation Lawsuit
Jury Awards $700k to Ethics ex-Chief
Ethics Chief in Georgia Wins Suit Over Ouster
September 4, 2014
A Fulton County Superior Court Judge imposed sanctions three months after a jury verdict in a case brought under the Georgia Whistleblower Act. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville ordered the Attorney General’s Office and the former Director of the Commission to pay $10,000 each as a sanction for withholding evidence - namely a memorandum that appeared to show that members of the Governor’s Office threatened the former Director to make an investigation into the Governor go away. In the Motion for Sanctions filed by Kimberly Worth of Worth Jarrell, Ms. Worth alleged that the evidence was intentionally withheld from her client during the discovery phase of the litigation to protect the Governor.
Read the Motion here:
Plaintiff Stacey Kalberman's Motion for Sanctions
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Kimberly Worth was interviewed by Dale Russell after the Court issued its Order on the Motion for Sanctions. To watch the channel 5 interview, click here.
For additional articles on the aftermath of the trial and the sanctions imposed, read here:
Attorney General rejects Claims He Withheld Deal Ethics Memo; One Plaintiff’s Attorney Responds
Attorney General Olens Facing Scrutiny Over Withholding Memo
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Augusta Commissioners Settle with Former Deputy Coroner for $200,000 in Labor-Related Whistleblower Lawsuit
July 8, 2015
Augusta-Richmond County commissioners agreed to pay a former Deputy Coroner $200,000 to settle a lawsuit filed in 2014 under the Georgia Whistleblower Act and Fair Labor Standards Act. The former deputy coroner was represented by Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell. The lawsuit alleged the former deputy was retaliated against after reporting the former coroner’s theft of money and property from the dead.
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A former IT Specialist of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission (formerly known as the State Ethics Commission) filed a lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court alleging violations of the Georgia Whistleblower Act. He alleged that he was ordered to alter or remove documents from commission files involving former Georgia Governor Deal and that he was fired after he refused to do so. He settled his lawsuit for $410,000 and described the settlement as “vindication” for his actions.
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Worth Jarrell also represents employers in defense of various employment and business claims.
Defense Verdict for Worth Jarrell’s Client After Four Years of Hard Fought Litigation
January 28, 2014
Kimberly Worth of Worth Jarrell represented a petroleum transportation company that was sued by two former employees alleging various claims under Title VII and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Through four years of litigation, one plaintiff withdrew his claims entirely, and the Court dismissed all of the remaining claims at summary judgment except for a single claim under the FLSA. Ms. Worth successfully argued at trial that the remaining plaintiff’s claim that she was entitled to overtime pay was without merit and obtained a jury verdict in her client’s favor.
June 29, 2007
Kimberly Worth represented a chain of tanning salons which was sued by a former employee in Federal Court alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Following limited discovery, Ms. Worth secured a dismissal of all claims with prejudice.
December 18, 2019
A final mile delivery service company retained Kimberly Worth and senior associate Katy Aultman of Worth Jarrell to represent it in ongoing litigation with a former employee who filed claims in Gwinnett County Superior Court alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family Medical Leave Act. Shortly after, the Court issued an order to compel discovery against the former employee. The Court ultimately dismissed the case with prejudice and awarded sanctions against the former employee for her failure to comply with discovery
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