A lawsuit filed by a University of Iowa fraternity seeking about $500,000 from UI and one of its officials is set to go to trial today in Johnson County [Iowa] District Court.
Phi Delta Theta, 729 N. Dubuque St., sued the university and UI vice president for student services Phillip E. Jones alleging a tape recording used in a hazing and alcohol violation investigation was illegally obtained and should not have been used.
UI revoked Phi Delta Theta's charter in 2002 after investigating a former fraternity member's complaint that he and other new members were forced to drink fifths of various hard liquors in a 20-minute stretch during August and September 2001. The fraternity pleaded guilty to an alcohol charge but disputed its members engaged in hazing. UI later dropped the claim and the fraternity regained its status in 2004.
However, during the two years the fraternity was kept off campus, it was not allowed to participate in rush week and approach new members, it suffered substantially, fraternity lawyer John Maher of Cedar Rapids has said.
Details here from the Iowa City Press-Citizen.