Hilton Head has spent $50K — so far — on defamation case

The Town of Hilton Head Island has spent about $50,000 in legal fees since December on a defamation case against a town critic, according to town documents.

Court records filed by town attorneys claim Bluffton businessman Skip Hoagland “intentionally and recklessly inflicted severe emotional distress” on Kim Likins, a member of Town Council.

Likins also was granted a restraining order against Hoagland after he made statements that she was unfit to serve as the director of the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island. He made the statements via phone calls and emails to club leaders.

The town has contracted with law firms Alford & Thoreson of Hilton Head and Pratt-Thomas Walker of Charleston. Earlier this month, the lawyers withdrew a motion for contempt of court, that claimed Hoagland had violated the restraining order, which prohibited him from publishing or making statements regarding Likins employment.

The motion included attachments of emails sent by Hoagland following the issuance of the restraining order, including one to Mayor David Bennett on June 21 that read, “I repeat, she is a liar and unfit for her role on the council or her private sector job.”

John Linton Jr., a lawyer with Pratt-Thomas Walker, would not elaborate on why the motion of contempt of court was withdrawn.

“We have the right to refine it at any time, and we have reached an agreement going forward,” Linton said.

That agreement is that Hoagland acknowledge the existence of the restraining order, which will remain in place until the lawsuit is decided, according to James A. Brown, Hoagland’s attorney.

Hoagland said he plans to fight the order at a later date because it restricts his freedom of speech.

“We are going to argue this order,” Hoagland said.

This story was originally published July 26, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Hilton Head has spent $50K — so far — on defamation case."