Legal Question in Personal Injury in Iowa

I�m currently a social work student, and I volunteer/internship at a local Domestic violence shelter where I attend school. When my shelter supervisor was doing a background check (details) on a misdemeanor conviction resulting from an altercation that I had at a bar, 10 years prior with my local police department, that absolutely could not be misrepresented as a domestic violence incident, the dispatcher first stated that they had no records that dated that far back because of a flood. Since, I am from a fairly small town, my supervisor then asked if they knew me and if they knew any details of the case. The dispatcher then preceded to tell them that they did know me and that they thought it was an incident involving domestic violence, when my supervisor asked if they were sure it was a domestic violence incident because it didn�t match the details that I gave them and that it could affect my future with the shelter, the dispatcher became defiant and insisted that it was a domestic violence conviction. In the social work profession there are two convictions that can damage any future career that you have, sex crimes and crimes involving domestic violence. Since the social work profession is extremely close and everyone works together among the different organizations, my supervisor believes this could greatly affect my future in the profession. My question is if there is any legal recourse that I could take against my local police department for what seems to be a malicious, or at the very least negligent, attempt to damage my future career?


Asked on 2/02/14, 6:24 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Robert Luedeman solo practitioner

The real question is whether you were convicted of anything or charged with anything, and if so, what that offense might be. Frankly you gave your supervisor far too much latitude. I would get a copy of the judgment and sentence and check your records through the Iowa DCI and your county clerk. I would suggest that you contact an attorney and have them write a nastygram to the local police department-that is, if it was not docketed as a domestic violence charge or conviction.

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Answered on 2/11/14, 7:21 pm


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