Legal Battle Erupts Over Former Michigan Football Coach’s Dismissal
The University of Michigan faces a lawsuit from Paige Shiver, the former executive assistant to Sherrone Moore, amid allegations of an inappropriate relationship and a contentious firing. The lawsuit claims the university failed to comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests concerning Moore’s dismissal.
Shiver, along with her legal team, initiated legal proceedings in Washtenaw County, seeking access to records and punitive damages for the alleged FOIA breaches. Andrew M. Stroth, her attorney, emphasized the importance of the lawsuit in uncovering the truth: “It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out.” Meanwhile, University of Michigan’s spokesperson, Paul Corliss, refrained from commenting on the matter.
Moore, who led the Wolverines for two seasons following Jim Harbaugh’s transition to the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, was dismissed in December. The termination followed accusations related to an affair with Shiver, which reportedly led to confrontations and ultimately Moore blaming Shiver for his job loss. Shiver had previously disclosed the affair to university officials, leading to Moore’s firing.
In April, Moore accepted a plea deal, admitting no contest to charges of trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device. Consequently, he was sentenced to 18 months of probation. Shiver did not attend the court hearing but expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome, stating the sentence “does not reflect the harm done to me.”
Defense attorney Ellen Michaels initially intended to challenge the arrest, arguing that the police failed to reveal the professional relationship between Moore and Shiver, which involved regular communications. Despite these plans, the plea deal was reached.
Requests for documentation related to Moore’s termination were repeatedly denied by the university despite being filed from February to June by attorney Julie Murphy. Stroth highlighted the university’s expenditure of $12 million on an investigation by Jenner & Block into the incident and broader concerns within the athletic department. However, the investigation’s findings remain unreleased.
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