Volume CXXXIII, Number 17 February 22, 2002 f

Update
Goodman loses suit against College
JAMES FISHER
ORIENT STAFF

George Goodman ‘00, the Bowdoin student who sued the College for breach of contract over a 1999 Judicial Board hearing, heard a Portland jury find against him Friday on most of the claims in his lawsuit. He was awarded no damages.

After deliberating for over five hours, the jury returned a verdict Friday evening that Bowdoin Director of Communications Scott Hood said was “an affirmation of the College’s judicial process.” They found that the College did not breach its contract with Goodman in conducting disciplinary proceedings against him for a March 1999 fight with a shuttle driver, Namsoo Lee ‘01. Those proceedings led to Goodman’s expulsion in May 1999. (Read more about the lawsuit in the February 22 issue here.)

The jury’s verdict was mixed on Goodman’s negligence claim. They found that Lee was negligent in his role as a college employee, but that Lee’s negligence caused no damages to Goodman. The jury completely cleared the administration of neglience in carrying out the J-Board hearing and expelling Goodman.

The jury also found that Deans Mya Mangawang and Craig Bradley did not ‘tortiously interfere’ with the contract between Goodman and the College as expressed in the Student Handbook.

The decision leaves Goodman with little to show for his three-year
legal battle. “We just don’t know at this point,” said Goodman’s counsel and mother, Collette Goodman, when asked about plans to appeal.

Complete coverage will appear in the March 1 issue of The Orient.