Former Chattanoooga Police officer Mickel Hoback, right, leaves the Joel W. Solomon Federal Court with one of his attorneys, Michael Richardson in this 2011 file photo.After a nearly five-year legal battle, fired Chattanooga police Officer Mickel Hoback could get $680,000 from the city soon.
But he’d rather have his job back.
A December ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit upheld a 2011 jury verdict here that sided with Hoback over what was deemed an illegal firing. The jury awarded him the $680,000, and U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier added on legal fees amounting to $100,000 for his two attorneys — Mike Richardson and Phillip Lawrence.
Despite the six-digit award, Hoback said Thursday that the lawsuit was “never about the money.”
“Hopefully I don’t get the money. Hopefully I get my job back,” Hoback said.