City of Van Buren v. Smith

Annabelle Clinton Imber, Justice.

Curtis Smith, a fifteen-year veteran of the Van Buren Fire Department, was discharged from his position as a firefighter on January 29, 1999, by the Mayor of Van Buren. The City of Van Buren asserted that Mr. Smith’s termination was the result of three separate events that occurred on January 27, 1999, in which Mr. Smith acted inappropriately toward superior officers and thereby violated department rules. The termination was upheld by the Van Burén Civil Service Commission. On appeal to the circuit court, the circuit judge took additional testimony and found…