Hurley residency trial next week

The lawsuit questioning Loudon County Commissioner Julia Hurley’s residency, which dates back to June 2019, is scheduled for trial Tuesday in Loudon before Chancellor Frank V. Williams III.

“It has taken a long time given the COVID pandemic shut down of the court system and the appeal filed by Ms. Hurley’s attorney going through the appellate system and then finally being sent back down for trial,” Russell Johnson, 9th Judicial District attorney general, said. “We look forward to finally getting to trial and putting the facts and circumstances of this matter before the chancellor for a final decision,” he added.

Hurley’s attorney, T. Scott Jones, said he and his client believe the case was a “political attack” and would not stand up in court.

“Ms. Hurley looks forward to the vindication that she feels that a trial will have, particularly relative to the fact that she never moved out of her elected district permanently and that the same was only done for an investment purpose,” Jones said. “She feels like that all the trial of the same will bare it out for what it is, and that is one frustrated man’s quest to eliminate his political nemesis.”

Given the time between the accusation and the trial, Jones said the case was no longer relevant.

“Ms. Hurley, she’s been living back into the residence in which she was originally elected for some time now that the other property is occupied and rented,” Jones said. “Almost to the point of that we feel like we’ll make a motion and that the judge will determine effectively that the issue is a moot point because the allegations that are made are no longer actually in place.”