By John Howell Sr.

Federal Magistrate Judge Allan Alexander on August 5 will conduct a Case Management Conference to determine the future of a lawsuit brought against Panola County by a deputy sheriff who alleges his resignation was forced in violation of the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Act.

Former Deputy Bradley Keith Pickett alleges in the complaint filed April 11 in the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi that his service in the National Guard brought conflict with his supervisors.

“The Sheriff and the Chief Deputy did not want Plaintiff to be in the military service because it interfered with the Sheriff’s Department shift,” the complaint, which represents one side of a legal argument, states.

The complaint further alleges that, “On January 3, 2013, Plaintif and the Chief Deputy exchanged hostile words and the Chief Deputy physically put his hands on Plaintiff, provoking an altercation.” Pickett alleges that he was forced to resign five days later.

Pickett is represented by attorney Jim Waide of Waide and Associates in Tupelo.

The county’s response, filed June 13 by attorney R. Jeff Allen of Hunt Ross and Allen in Clarksdale, denies Pickett’s allegations and requests a jury trial.

“At no time did the Defendant discriminate against the Plaintiff upon the basis of his active duty status in the armed forces, or for any reasons surrounding said service,” Allen’s response for the county states.

At Monday’s case management conference, both sides are expected to lay out the parameters of their case, review procedures and “identify the alternative dispute resolution procedure which counsel intend to use, or … why no such procedure would assist in the resolution of the case,” Judge Alexander’s order states.

The judge will issue a case management order within 10 days of the August 5 conference.