Judge considers motion to dismiss TCT lawsuit

A motion to dismiss a lawsuit against the Tri-County Telephone Association (TCT) has been taken under advisement by Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Norman E. Young after a three hour long hearing in Lander on Friday, Sept. 23.

The suit was filed on Dec. 28, 2015, by plaintiffs Joe and Barbara Campbell, representing themselves and similar persons against Chris Davidson, Tri-County Telephone Association, Inc. The suit stems from Campbell’s belief that more than 800 members of the Tri-County Telephone (TCT) co-op were victims of fraud. Campbells live in the Hamilton Dome TCT prefix in Hot Springs County. According to the suit, Davidson, the CEO of TCT co-operative, and several former board members allegedly robbed owners in the co-op of the value of their ownership interests after the co-op was sold in September.

Though the members of the TCT co-op whose interests were sold voted on the transaction — 79 percent in favor, with five percent opposed and the remaining 16 percent not voting — there was alleged misrepresentation, and concern that co-op members were entitled to more than capital credits when the sale happened and should have had more information than what was provided.

The defendants filed motions to dismiss the suit in May.

No specific damages are set forth in the suit. There are allegations that the defendants never appraised the assets of TCT prior to the sale. The plaintiffs are seeking to the have the lawsuit declared a class action, allowing other cooperative members to join the suit against TCT.

Judge Young is expected to make a decision within the next two or three weeks.