Another week led to new developments in a court case that has caught countywide attention, where a family feud has made it’s way into the headlines. Earlier this month, Stewart Springer filed for a restraining order against his sister-in-law, Kimberly Drake, alleging that she had sent threatening messages while his family visited Cullman. Drake’s husband, Tommy Drake, said in a statement to Cullman Daily that they denied having sent messages of any kind to Springer. The messages released by Stewart Springer are shown below.
After The Drake Law Firm denied the messages were sent by Kimberly, her brother-in-law Springer responded by filing for a Deposition to be held with Drake. The documents he requested to be provided are as follows:
- Produce your cellular telephone with the telephone number (256) 709-13xx
- Produce the itemized call list for Saturday August 13, 2022 from your cellular telephone with the telephone number (256) 709-13xx
- Produce your cellular telephones with the following telephone numbers: (256) 347-36xx; (256) 347-52xx; and (205) 566-89xx
- Produce the itemized call list for Saturday August 13, 2022 from your cellular telephones with the following telephone numbers: (256) 347-36xx; (256) 347-52xx; and (205) 566-89xx
- Produce all cellular telephone records for telephone Kimberly Drake used on August 13, 2022 to text Allison Springer including, but not limited to, the following: a) Statements and bills reflecting calls made by Kimberly Drake; b) Statements and bills reflecting calls made to Kimberly Drake; c) Text messages made by Kimberly Drake; d) Text messages received by Kimberly Drake
- Produce the cellular telephone from which you texted Allison Springer on August 13, 2022, “Do not come back to Cullman anymore. It is not safe. We are watching y’all. Y’all have stirred up enough trouble. Do not come on our turf. We will escort y’all out of here. It is like going to New Orleans for y’all. Not safe. Look at statistics. We will show up at the next restaurant. Ya’ll are not very smart.”
- Produce all photographs and digital videos, videos, DVD’s, CD’s, recordings, audio recordings, electronically stored recordings, digital recordings, prints, film, unprocessed film, movies that in any way support your claims in this lawsuit against Springer.
- Produce all things that support Kimberly Drake’s legal claims against Stewart Springer that were filed in her Complaint against Springer
Springer continued by requesting all things that support Kimberly Drake’s legal claims against him along with virtually all messaging records between him, his wife and his sister-in-law Kimberly. He also requested documents that show someone other than her texted the messages that led him to filing for a restraining order.
More family enters the mix
Stewart Springer now claims that after the story was released last week, Kimberly Drake’s daughter, Sara Beth Willoughby, left what he referred to as a defamatory comment on his firm’s Facebook page. The document states that Willoughby said the following: “Terrible attorney and was found guilty of unethical misconduct by the Alabama State Bar. Literal pond scum that doesn’t know what he is doing.”
This led Springer to filing for another restraining order while he considers whether or not to add Willoughby as a Third Party defendant, this time against Drake’s daughter Sara Beth. The Springer Law Firm stated that these comments were published with the intent to defame Springer.
Willoughby Responds
After the restraining order was filed by Springer, Sara Beth Willoughby responded with a motion to dismiss, stating that the defendant’s motion is facially invalid and defective, and also that her statements are protected speech and constitutionally permissible.
Currently, the deposition is set to be held Wednesday September 7, 2022 at 10:30am in Jefferson County.
