Judge Dismisses Lawsuit By Man Mistakenly Kept In Jail

PORT HURON (AP) — A man who was in jail for three days because of a records error has lost a lawsuit against Port Huron and St. Clair County.

Joseph Scott was driving with his ex-wife when he was stopped by Port Huron police for a seat-belt violation in 2013. The officer checked records and found that Scott was violating a personal protection order.

Coralee Scott told the officer that the order had expired and they were friends. But Joseph Scott still was kept in jail for three days — after being treated for a panic attack. Authorities learned that the expiration date was wrongly entered into a database.

Federal Judge Laurie Michelson says the arrest was "unfortunate." But in her decision Monday, she says authorities acted reasonably in carrying out their duties.