Judge With Link To Florida State Assigned To Seminoles' Lawsuit Against ACC
The war between Florida State and the ACC has officially moved to the courts after the university's Board of Trustees filed a lawsuit against the conference three days before Christmas. The Seminoles are doing everything in their power to challenge the Grant of Rights as they try to take control of their own destiny in the current college football landscape.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Leon County Circuit Court assigned a judge to the FSU Board of Trustees case against the ACC. John C. Cooper, a judge for the 2nd Judicial Court of Florida will be wielding the gavel when the proceedings begin.
Cooper actually has ties to Florida State as he earned his Bachelor's Degree (BA) from the university in 1972 as well as his Juris Doctor (JD) in 1974. He's been in his current role in the 2nd Judicial Court for 21 years and his reach covers Franklin County, Gadsden County, Jefferson County, Leon County, Liberty County, and Wakulla County.
Florida State is alleging that the ACC violated multiple state laws, including Florida Statute 542.18. The Seminoles are also pursuing the lawsuit due to the unenforceable penalty, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fundamental failure of contractual purpose, and unconscionability and violation of public policy.
The move comes on the heel of the program's historic snub from the College Football Playoff. The Seminoles were excluded from the final four in favor of one-loss Texas and one-loss Alabama despite finishing as an undefeated "Power Five" Conference Champion.
The Atlantic Coast Conference responded by suing FSU's Board of Trustees. The lawsuit by the ACC was actually filed a day prior to Florida State's approval to take legal action.
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