Former Alaska U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller's long-running lawsuit against the Fairbanks North Star Borough has come to a close after a disagreement over the meaning of a judgment signed earlier this summer. In the settlement, the borough agreed to pay $5,000 to Miller to end a costly legal battle over whether someone with the borough illegally leaked information about Miller's time working there. The judgment, signed by both parties in June, denied any admission of fault on the borough's part. Yet Miller went on to argue that, by its nature, a judgment admits fault.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that Superior Court Judge Stephanie Joannides issued a formal judgment in the case that has finally ended the issue. Without much elaboration, she cited the signed judgment as the final word on the issue.
"The Offer of Judgment disclaiming any fault by Fairbanks North Star Borough and Jim Whitaker was accepted on June 20, 2012 by Intervenor Defendant, Cross Claimant and third Party Plaintiff Joseph Miller," Judge Joannides wrote.
Borough Mayor Luke Hopkins told the News-Miner "My view is that it's done, and I guess it's goodbye Joe."
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