Antinerella v. Rioux

The distinction between a public officer’s personal and official acts has confounded courts for centuries. That distinction must be articulated here in the context of a now epic dispute between the defendant, Alfred J. Rioux, the former high sheriff of Hartford county, and the plaintiff, Joseph Antinerella, his former deputy.

This question comes before me on the defendant’s motion for summary judgment. The submissions of the parties reveal that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact. The issue presented, at least at this early stage, is one of law.

The relevant facts can be briefly…