The St Joseph School District will not have to pay for the legal defense in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed this week. Neither will Superintendent Dr. Fred Czerwonka, Human Resources Director Doug Flowers, or school board member Dennis Snethen, who are also named as defendants.

Former Chief Financial Officer Beau Musser filed suit Tuesday in Buchanan County Circuit Court, demanding he be reinstated to his job, and seeking damages for slander and defamation of character.

Attorney Tom Mickes was selected by the school district’s liability insurance carrier Wright Insurance to represent all four defendants. Mickes says the company agreed on Wednesday to cover the entire cost of defending all four.

Mickes was still going over the lawsuit on Wednesday, but said he he doesn’t think there’s support for the charges and intends to mount a very aggressive defense.

“That’s what the litigation process is about; we will file an answer, and likely counterclaims,” Mickes said.

Mickes says it’s too early in the process to articulate what those counterclaims might entail.

Both sides are expected in court August 11 at 8:30am before Judge Randall Jackson.