Denning v. Johnson County Sheriff's Civil Service Bd

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Moritz, J.:

This case began innocuously enough when Johnson County Sheriffs Department Master Deputy Michael Maurer cracked a department vehicle’s windshield with a binder while attempting to shoo a bothersome horsefly. While the horsefly’s life may have ended, the long and tortuous factual and procedural his-toiy of this case had just begun.

Maurer initially reported the incident by writing “Crack in windshield—rock” on a yellow sticky note and leaving the note for his commanding officer, Sergeant Joe Greenwood. The next morning, Maurer briefly spoke…