July hearing date set in case of 2 professors suing Toledo's police, fire unions

5/26/2009
BLADE STAFF

A July 21 hearing date has been set for a judge to hear testimony in a defamation lawsuit filed by two University of Toledo professors against Toledo’s police and fire unions.

Attorneys for both parties met briefly with Lucas County Common Pleas Judge James Jensen on Tuesday morning before the judge publicly announced the hearing date.

Oleg Smirnov and David Black filed a complaint Thursday against the Toledo Firefighters Union Local 92 and its president, Jim Martin, as well as the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association and its president, Dan Wagner.

The two professors claimed statements made by the men and published by the unions in regard to their work on the city’s income tax projections were false. As part of the complaint, the professors asked for a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief.