Attorney General Loses Dispute Against Judge in Debt Collection Case

by Mike Bevel, CollectionIndustry.com

And in the case of Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch v. Ramsey County Judge William H. Leary III, so far it looks like Judge Leary: 1; Hatch: 0.

Ramsey County District Judge Gregg Johnson said his colleague, Judge William Leary III, won’t have to give up the gavel in a couple of debt-collection lawsuits Hatch’s office is pursuing.

In court filings, Hatch and lawyers in his office accused Leary of making comments construed as biased in favor of the defendants, whose debt-collection practices are under fire. Hatch caught flak for making an after-hours phone call to confront Leary, which exposed the attorney general to the allegations that he broke court conduct rules.

Hatch’s office reacted to the ruling with a written statement.

“While we respect the court’s decision, we are obviously disappointed with the outcome,” it read. “We are reviewing our options at this time.”