Judge advises less politics in Herbster/Slama lawsuit

After a District Court judge met privately with battling attorneys to sort out their grievances, the defamation lawsuit filed against State Senator Julie Slama and her countersuit against Charles Herbster moved forward. <br />Both cases came in response to allegations of sexual assault leveled at Herbster during his unsuccessful campaign for governor.<br />Lawyers representing the two appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday before District Court Judge Rick Schreiner. The case originated in Johnson County. For the convenience of scheduling the first hearing was heard at the Gage County Courthouse in Beatrice.<br />Herbster claims Slama damaged his reputation in the closing weeks of his unsuccessful campaign when she and seven other women accused him of groping them at political events. In a counter-suit, Slama accuses Herbster of sexual battery. <br />Before Judge Schriener were five motions amounting to complaints about how one side or the other responded to the lawsuit.