Dallas Jury Awards $4.26M to Former Polk County HR Director in Libel Lawsuit

A Dallas County jury awarded over $4.26 million to Jim Nahas, former Polk County Human Resources Director, after finding that former County Administrator John Norris and current Supervisors Tom Hockensmith and Angela Connolly willfully libeled him in his 2021 wrongful termination case. The jury ordered Polk County to pay $4 million, with Norris, Hockensmith, and Connolly ordered to pay additional punitive damages personally. Nahas stated the verdict clears his name and allows him to move on, while Polk County Administrator Frank Marasco expressed respect for the decision and emphasized the opportunity to improve county policies and governance. Supervisors Hockensmith and Connolly are retiring, and new leadership, including Matt McCoy, aims to focus on transparency and moving past the legal conflicts. The case highlighted long-standing political infighting within the Polk County Board of Supervisors, with Nahas alleging his termination was politically motivated. Despite the verdict, other legal challenges remain for some current supervisors, but the decision marks a significant development toward resolving internal disputes.