(KAIR)--The countersuit filed by Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, following last years lawsuit filed against him by the City of Atchison, has been dismissed.

That happened last week after Judge David King heard arguments Thursday relating to the City’s motion to dismiss the counterclaims.

Following an inquiry Friday by MSC News, Atchison City Manager Becky Berger said the Judge, “after reviewing the City’s motion, the Sheriff’s response, and the arguments of counsel,” dismissed “all of the Sheriff’s counterclaims,” adding that, “although City officials expected the dismissal, the Court’s ruling brings” what Berger calls “a welcome end to the attorney fee expenses related to the defense of the Sheriff’s counterclaims.”

The City, in December of last year, filed suit against Laurie after the Captain of the Atchison County Jail refused to admit as an inmate an Atchison Police detainee, citing medical reasons.

Laurie, in his countersuit, claimed the City Police Department has long operated what the suit called a “detour and dump” operation, routinely taking prisoners in need of medical care to the jail, instead of to the hospital, in order to avoid the treatment cost, which is deferred to the County.

Although he has not yet offered comment on the dismissal of his countersuit, Laurie, in a statement released in April, maintained his position, saying that “if someone has been arrested and has serious medical needs, dumping them at the jail and being indifferent to their medical needs is unlawful, and is an invitation to lawsuits from those individuals.”

Berger, in Friday’s statement to MSC News, said “City officials are hopeful that the entire suit will be resolved soon.”

The City’s lawsuit was filed December 19, alleging that Laurie, in his official capacity as County Sheriff, is violating Kansas statute by having what the legal document calls “a policy not to accept prisoners brought to the jail by Atchison police officers if they meet or don’t meet certain criteria.”