JACKSON, Miss. -- The state Court of Appeals has ruled a former employee at Members 1st Community CU can pursue claims of malicious prosecution against the credit union, after its executive helped have her indicted for embezzlement.
The state’s High Court said 54-year-old Norma Springfield should have been able to present a jury with her claims that the credit union acted improperly when it had her indicted in January 2006.
Members 1st first tried to have Springfield indicted in November 2005 for processing a customer's overdrafts without charging fees and for improperly handling her own overdrafts, according to court documents.
A grand jury initially refused to indict Springfield but did indict here in January 2006 when credit union officer Chris Pollan brought the grand jury an affidavit from Springfield's ex-husband, Mitchell Springfield, claiming his ex-wife had committed criminal acts during their marriage.
The charges were dismissed in May 2008 and Springfield sued, claiming her former employer relied on bad faith and false information to pursue the criminal charges.
The Monroe County Circuit Court dismissed Springfield's lawsuit and she appealed.
