HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Attorneys representing the family of John Scott Jr. have until Tuesday to overhaul and resubmit a $100 million civil rights lawsuit, or risk having the case permanently thrown out of federal court.
The countdown comes after U.S. District Judge Harold D. McOty II dismissed the family’s lawsuit for a second time, citing repeated legal drafting failures. Warning that he will not allow another rewrite, the judge granted the plaintiff one final lifeline to correct a series of technical formatting errors and properly refile the case.
A Fatal Encounter and a $100 Million Claim
The high-profile legal battle stems from the April 15, 2025, death of 39-year-old Scott, a father of five who died a week after an encounter with North Alabama law enforcement.
According to initial court filings, Scott’s mother, Paulette Tennison, called for assistance at her Decatur home because her son was experiencing a severe mental health crisis. While the family maintains Scott was cooperative and merely trying to “get situated” before entering an ambulance, the lawsuit alleges that arriving officers from the Decatur and Priceville police departments became “frustrated and upset”…