A Texas man has filed a lawsuit against multiple county and court entities, claiming his wrongful detention was based on outdated and incorrect judicial records. John Hurt lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on September 8, 2025, naming Hunt County, Texas, among other defendants.
The lawsuit stems from events dating back to 2016 when Hurt was charged with stalking and harassment in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Although the stalking charge was dismissed on March 2, 2016, and the harassment conviction vacated following a de novo appeal due to incompetency statutes under New Mexico law, these changes were not reflected in official records. As a result, invalid warrants continued to circulate. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic and while undergoing cancer treatment, Hurt was arrested by Hunt County Sheriff Terry Jones and detained for fourteen days based on these void charges. This arrest not only endangered his health but also led to significant personal and professional losses.
Hurt’s legal filing details how he lost a lucrative job opportunity in Texas worth $150,000 annually after a background check erroneously reported an active conviction and outstanding warrants. Despite subsequent job applications being denied due to these false records—most recently in August 2025—Hurt continues to suffer reputational damage and faces ongoing threats of arrest.
In his complaint, Hurt accuses both Hunt County and Bernalillo County of maintaining policies that led to constitutional violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 concerning Fourteenth Amendment due process rights and Fourth Amendment protections against unlawful seizure. Additionally, he claims state law violations including false imprisonment and negligence. The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages exceeding $500,000 for wrongful detention, lost wages, future earning capacity losses, reputational harm, emotional distress as well as punitive damages against individual defendants who acted with reckless disregard for his rights.
The case is presided over by Judge D. The attorneys representing John Hurt are currently unnamed in the filing but will be disclosed once discovery reveals their identities. The case ID is 3:25-cv-03154-D.
Source: 325cv03154_John_Hurt_v_Hunt_County_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Texas.pdf
