The fallout over a proposed hotel on Sturgeon Bay’s west side waterfront has reached the Door County Court system. The Pinkert Law Firm and attorneys Randall Nesbitt and James Smith are alleging that Carri Andersson of Sturgeon Bay, a vocal opponent of the hotel project, has made defamatory and unsubstantiated statements about the firm and the lawyers. According to the 17-point complaint filed on Thursday, Andersson is accused of alleging improprieties about the plaintiffs, both orally and on paper, that are specific, false and unsubstantiated. Nesbitt, Sturgeon Bay’s City Attorney, and Smith work at the Pinkert Law Firm. They say Andersson’s allegations that the law firm was listed on the application of hotel developer Bob Papke, suggesting a conflict of interest, that the law firm is representing both the city and Papke, that there was gross incompetence on the part of the Pinkert Law Firm, and that no legal counsel or advisory counsel was provided with respect to the zoning issues raised by the project’s planned unit development application are unsupported, contrary to actual fact and provided to defame the attorneys and their law firm. They say Andersson intentionally and maliciously made false statements that harmed their reputation in the community.
The plaintiffs are asking for compensatory and punitive damages in an amount to be determined, a permanent injunction preventing Andersson from making any defamatory statements or comments against them, actual attorney fees and costs and disbursements for the legal action, and any other relief the court deems just and equitable.
To read the full complaint click the following link Pinkert, Nesbitt and Smith v. Anderrson
