Brevard County Clerk of Court Settles Lawsuit With Hewlett-Packard

Current Brevard County Clerk of Court, Scott Ellis (left) has settled a lawsuit over a loan taken out by former Clerk of Court, Mitch Needelman (right).

BREVARD COUNTY, Florida -- Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (HP) and the current Brevard County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Scott Ellis, have settled a lawsuit where HP sued the Clerk's Office for non-payment of a $6.1 million loan that former Brevard County Clerk of Court Mitch Needelman had entered into.

Needleman had taken out the loan after losing the primary election to Ellis in 2012 to fulfill the funding of a scanning contract that is tied to the criminal case brought by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement against Needelman, his business partner Matt DuPree, and BlueGEM CEO Rose Harr.  BlueGEM was a direct recipient of $5.7 million of the loan.   

In the settlement agreement, HP and the Clerk's Office release each other from all claims. In the event that HP recovers any amounts from any other defendants, the Clerk's Office would be entitled to 1/7 of the award after HP recoups its attorneys fees.

Throughout the litigation, Ellis had always asserted that the loan done by Needelman, BlueGEM, Harr, and Hewlett-Packard was illegal and unconstitutional.

"Pretty much each of our organizations was taken," Brevard County Clerk of Court, Scott Ellis wrote in an email to Brevard Times.  "Should HP recover anything we get 1/7 after expenses. The ratio is based on HP being out $6.1 million, the Clerk’s Office $1.1 million."

Brevard Times was the only news source to continue a series of in-depth investigative articles led by former reporter Charles Parker on the BlueWare scandal.

RELATED STORIES:

Hewlett Packard Threatens Lawsuit Over BlueWare Debt March 23, 2013

Ellis and Hewlett-Packard Still At Odds Over Scanning Contract Loan Payments June 2, 2013

Hewlett Packard Sues Brevard Clerk of Court For Disputed Scanning Contract Payments July 26, 2013

HP Names Merritt Island Law Firm As Defendant In BlueWare Lawsuit November 25, 2013


Hewlett-Packard Lawsuit Against Brevard Clerk of Court Dismissed April 15, 2014