first on decorahnews.com: Settlement reached in lawsuit between Decorah Genealogy Association and Winneshiek County Historical Society

An agreement has been reached that could end the lawsuit between the Decorah Genealogy Association and Winneshiek County Historical Society.

The legal dispute goes back to November of 2016, when two individuals from Winneshiek County Historical Society allegedly returned to the office the two groups shared in the library after the office had closed and allegedly removed 285 microfilms and ten bound microfilm indexes, taking them to a locked storage space owned by the WCHS.

When attempts to get the materials returned failed, the Genealogy Association filed a lawsuit in Winneshiek County District Court asking for payment of $14,520 for the microfilms and $1,300 for the microfilm indexes.  The microfilms in dispute have been returned to Decorah Genealogy, but other materials remained in dispute.

Now the two sides have agreed that veterans records kept by Decorah Genealogy will be copied and the scanned copies given to WCHS, with DGA retaining the originals.  Prints made from photo negatives dating back to the early 1900s will be given to Decorah Genealogy, with WCHS retaining the originals.

A motion has been filed to delay a court hearing on the lawsuit, asking that the lawsuit be dismissed if the terms of the lawsuit settlement are complied with over the next six months.  Under the agreement, WCHS would pay all court costs and give DGA a check for $1,000 as payment for DGA's loss of use of the records during the time the lawsuit was filed.