West Virginia Secretary Fired Over Facebook Wants Case in State Court

A secretary who says she was fired over a Facebook posting made on her own time and at her home computer wants her wrongful discharge lawsuit sent back to Ohio County (West Virginia) Circuit Court.

Sonya Olako filed a motion to move the case out of U.S. District Court in Wheeling.

The Ohio County Commission and Sheriff Patrick Butler deny they wrongly fired Olako last year because she told people to avoid a restaurant owned by a friend of her boss.

Olako says her civil rights were violated, so the county moved to have the case heard in federal court.

But Olako argues her case relies on multiple violations of state law, so federal court lacks jurisdiction.

U.S. Judge John Preston Bailey hasn’t ruled yet.