Parties Report Settlement in Lawsuit Against Scotland County Hospital

By Echo Menges

MEMPHIS, Mo. — The parties involved in a lawsuit filed by former Scotland County Hospital employee Terri Schmitt have reported that the case has been settled.

According to a recent entry in the Scotland County Circuit Court record, the court received a joint notice of settlement from the parties on Feb. 26. As a result, a previously scheduled hearing set for March 2 has been cancelled while the case awaits completion of the settlement agreement in Case No. 23SE-CC00022.

The case, filed May 19, 2023, alleges discrimination and breach of contract related to Schmitt’s termination from Scotland County Hospital.

Schmitt previously served as the hospital’s Director of Quality, Safety, Risk and Human Resources. In her lawsuit, she alleged the hospital violated the Missouri Human Rights Act by discriminating against her based on age and also breached the terms of her employment contract.

The petition alleges Schmitt, who was over the age of 40 at the time, was terminated in August 2022 without the 90-day notice required under the terms of her contract. The lawsuit sought damages including lost wages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees and other relief.

The case has generated hundreds of pages of filings over the past three years, including motions, exhibits and other court records. Many of those documents are currently part of the public court record and available online for public inspection. However, the filings could be removed from public access once the final settlement agreement is signed and the case is formally closed.

The case will remain pending until the settlement agreement is completed.

No details of the proposed settlement have been released.

Additional information will be reported as it becomes available.