first on decorahnews.com: The Decorah Genealogy Association and Winneshiek County Historical Society are facing off in court

At one point, the Decorah Genealogy Association and the Winneshiek County Historical Society shared office space in the Decorah Public Library.  But now a judge will hear arguments later this month in a lawsuit filed by the DGA against the WCHS.

The legal dispute arose after the Decorah Genealogy Association decided it would move its offices to 808 River Street, in the same building used by the Winneshiek County Senior Center.  DGA's lawsuit claims that before the move took place last November, two individuals from Winneshiek County Historical Society returned to the office in the library after the office had closed and 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.  The lawsuit asks for payment of $14,520 for the microfilms and $1,300 for the microfilm indexes.  It also asks that WCHS pay court costs.  A separate lawsuit has been filed against those who took the materials.

Winneshiek County Historical Society has filed a court motion asking that the lawsuit against it be dismissed.  The Decorah Genealogy Association has resisted the motion.  A court hearing on June 27th at 3:00 p.m. will bring the two parties together—along with their attorneys.