Stockbridge Sues Henry County To Keep City Intact
A lawsuit is asking a judge to stop a vote that could form the new city of Eagle’s Landing. Part of the land for Eagle’s Landing could come from Stockbridge, and only those in the proposed Eagle’s Landing city limits would get to vote.
Dario Lopez-Mills / Associated Press file
Stockbridge has filed a lawsuit against Henry County commissioners and voting officials. It’s an attempt to keep itself together.
The lawsuit, filed in Henry County Superior Court, asks a judge to stop a vote that could form the new city of Eagle’s Landing.
“We will be asking the court to hold everything in place until the constitutionality of those two acts in question is determined,” said Bob Wilson, an attorney representing Stockbridge.
Thanks to legislation signed by Gov. Nathan Deal, part of the land to form Eagle’s Landing could come from Stockbridge and only those in the proposed Eagle’s Landing city limits would get to vote.
Wilson said it was just a matter of time before the lawsuit was filed.
“I don’t think there’s going to be anyone in the Georgia Legislature who worked with this bill who will be surprised for a minute that this matter is going to go to court,” Wilson said. “It’s written all over it. Our courts aren’t going to be surprised either.”
Former state Attorney General Mike Bowers is also representing Stockbridge. He says the laws that create Eagle’s Landing violate a provision in Georgia’s constitution.
“No bill shall pass which refers to more than one subject or which contains matter different from what is said in the title,” Bowers said, reading the provision. “That’s all it says, and both of these bills violate both of those provisions.”
Wilson says Stockbridge also plans to file a federal civil rights lawsuit. The claim is the bills are a violation of the voting rights of Stockbridge residents who won’t get to cast a ballot.
For now, the referendum on Eagle’s Landing is scheduled for November.
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