Oak Hill trial date nearing - or is it?
Dispute over ousted board member scheduled for a September trial
The Oak Hill Country Club litigation is clearly in the rough, and finding the green – in this case a possible resolution – seems more unlikely with each passing day.
To continue the forced golfing references, bitter and vitriolic allegations between parties have become par for the course with this lawsuit. And nothing in recent weeks or months has altered that pattern.
In fact, with a trial fast approaching, the parties now have some new turf to fight over. What is that? The question of whether a trial should be fast approaching.
Last week lawyers for Oak Hill requested a delay in the trial. The issues that were the foundation of the original lawsuit against the club have significantly expanded, the lawyers contend, and there are still other important issues unresolved.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs – those suing the club and its board – want the trial to go as scheduled. Right now it is scheduled to start Sept. 8.
It’s possible a settlement could be carved out, but nothing of late points to an agreement in the works. If there were one, it’s seems unlikely that the animated finger-pointing would continue with this level of energy in court papers.
(An aside: I know I said I’ll have a “welcome to my Substack” post today. I then saw these court filings and decided this should get out first. Look for the “welcome” tomorrow, and the paid subscriber version still to start later this week.)
How did we get here?
Many of those who have read my coverage in the D&C know the history of this lawsuit, and the history of the venerable and venerated golf course in Pittsford. Oak Hill has been a stopping point for many of golf’s major tournaments, most recently the 2023 PGA Championship.
At the end of this, I’ll link to some of my past coverage, which will provide a road map. (Some may be behind a paywall.) But, in short, here are some of the highlights (or lowlights, depending on one’s perspective):
In October, board member Eugene Baldino sued the club, saying he’d been illegally ousted from the board of governors, as the board is called. He was joined in the lawsuit by other club members.
Baldino said he’d tried to bring transparency to club finances, and had been thwarted and stymied. Among allegations: A holiday fund, using donations from members, was not being properly filtered to the lower-paid staff. (There is also a fight over artisan pizza. Truly. To learn more, the first link below has background.)
The board pushed back, saying Baldino was tossed off because of his behavior. In particular, according to an internal investigation, Baldino had profanely harassed a female club worker, the second such incident, the board maintained.
The lawsuit navigated typical pretrial channels, and then a new lawsuit landed, this one from the former Oak Hill employee whom Baldino allegedly harassed. She, too, is suing Oak Hill.
That lawsuit said that Baldino had been angry over a dining room seating shortage, but he had not been threatening or coarse. The internal investigation, instead, seemed geared to rid the board of Baldino, the former employee, Hanna Halpin, alleged in her lawsuit against the club.
There are still fights ongoing over who should cover legal fees - the costs are well into the hundreds of thousands - and who witnesses could be at the trial.
Lawyers for Oak Hill claim that the plaintiffs have significantly, and wrongly, broadened the allegations since the October lawsuit. Lawyers for the plaintiffs say additional allegations are normal, as are amended lawsuits, in the course of litigation.
State Supreme Court Justice Daniel Doyle, the presiding judge in the case, has put a temporary hold on depositions as some pretrial issues are decided.
There is much more that could be written here, and in coming posts I’ll dig deeper. I admit, the reader interest for this story surprised me when I was at the D&C. Then, and now, I could not go a few days without someone wanting to talk about the lawsuit.
The Rotary in February asked me to speak at a lunch meeting. The topic they wanted: the Oak Hill lawsuit. I told the Rotary that, were I to die the next day, my obituary would read something along these lines: “Gary Craig, reporter who covered Oak Hill lawsuit and other stuff.”
One of my forthcoming posts will focus on the very question: Why are so many people fascinated by this story? I’m asking some people who have followed since the start, and have my own theories. (Please message or email me yours.)
And, I promise again, I will provide more details about the litigation itself. There is a lot to chip at there.
The background
The links below will give some history to those who want it. One very legitimate question - and one I hope to address - is whether this lawsuit, if it continues, could taint the club’s reputation and be injurious to its standing in national golf circles.
Nothing I’ve seen shows this to be the case so far. But I have heard from numerous members who have this very fear. (The club was recently chosen to host the U.S. Women’s Open in 2037.)
Links here, and more can be found within these stories:
More about my Substack
Thanks to all of you who have subscribed, a number who have already pledged.
I’m still learning this as I go. I’ll know soon whether the subscription model is successful. I’ve been advised by some friends, and by Substack as well, that I should still offer occasional free posts. I’ll ponder that as I go.
Also, as I mentioned on social media a few days ago, I no longer have access to ample photo files, so I’m working my way through that as well. Today (Sunday as I write), I might drive by Oak Hill for a basic photo. Or I might ask some friends who are likely to have photos.
I just asked Google whether Wikipedia photos are public domain. I knew the answer was “no” but remained hopeful. The answer was “no.”
Lawyer friends, is this what it’s like being a sole practitioner?
Talk soon.
That first sentence was something I would have written when I was at Channel 12 right after RMC. I’ll give you a mulligan on that one.
I think the general public has a certain fascination with how “the other half lives”. I experience that curiosity every time I give a mansion tour at the George Eastman Museum. Also, people behaving badly seems to be considered entertainment these days, no matter the socioeconomic strata where it occurs.