Lincoln County judge ups security level in case elected official returns to courthouse | Law and order

U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh, presiding over a separate lawsuit filed by Allsberry, kept the case on hold in an April 2 order, citing the pending appeals in state court.

Duree’s legal motion said Flynn’s letter “falsely claims” that Limbaugh denied Allsberry access to the courthouse, instead of simply extending the hold. Duree also said Flynn has banned Allsberry from even public areas of the courthouse.

In Flynn’s letter, he cites a March 25 email from Duree to the lawyer with the Missouri Attorney General’s office who is representing Flynn. In Duree’s email, he opposes a transfer of the case to the Missouri Supreme Court, saying “the more efficient way to resolve” Flynn’s appeal would be an expedited opinion from the Eastern District Court of Appeals while Allsberry resumes her duties, under a court order or by “self help.”

Duree did not respond to messages seeking comment this week. Allsberry, in an emailed statement, wrote, “The term ‘self help’ simply meant that I would return to the Justice Center to resume my duties as the elected Circuit Clerk. I have not used self help thus far because of the risk of a confrontation with Judge Flynn,” she wrote, saying that she’d instead turned to the court system.

“I simply want to safely and peacefully walk into my office and perform the duties the people elected me to do,” Allsberry wrote.