A Fort Davis resident has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court alleging misconduct by Jeff Davis County officials, law enforcement personnel and his former attorney, marking the second federal lawsuit in 2026 to target many of the county’s top officials and justice system actors.
Carl Haugen Jr., who moved to Fort Davis after his parents purchased the Fort Davis Drug Store in 2023, filed the lawsuit pro se — meaning he is representing himself without an attorney — in the Western District of Texas on March 6.
The lawsuit names Jeff Davis County; County Judge Curtis Evans; Sheriff Victor Lopez; County Attorney Glen Eisen; Justice of the Peace Mary Ann Luedecke; Investigator King Merritt; Jeff Davis County Clerk Jennifer Wright; and attorney Shane O’Neal as defendants.
Court records show summonses were served in late May on Eisen, Evans, Jeff Davis County, Lopez, Luedecke, Wright and O’Neal. A motion seeking alternative service on Merritt was filed June 1, according to the federal docket.
Filed under federal civil rights law, the complaint alleges constitutional violations and misconduct related to criminal proceedings, county government actions and law enforcement interactions.
In materials previously shared publicly and with Big Bend Times, Haugen alleged he was improperly arrested on a harassment charge, denied due process and subjected to restrictions limiting his access to county facilities. He also alleged retaliation, favoritism and misuse of authority by local officials.
Haugen additionally alleges misconduct by O’Neal, his former defense attorney, and names him as a defendant in the lawsuit.
O’Neal, however, is a longtime criminal defense attorney who previously represented Big Bend Times publisher David Flash in Jeff Davis County-related criminal matters. In Flash’s case, O’Neal successfully challenged restrictions placed on Flash’s access to county property, helped secure dismissal of multiple charges and prevailed in a habeas proceeding that struck down a county-issued ban — legal victories that later became central to Flash’s own federal civil rights lawsuit.
Flash separately sued Jeff Davis County and many of the same officials earlier this year, alleging retaliation tied to his journalism and a June 2025 arrest during a county commissioners meeting. Unlike Haugen’s case, Flash’s lawsuit is not pro se. Flash is represented by four attorneys from three law firms collaborating on the litigation. That lawsuit names Evans, Lopez, Eisen, Luedecke, Merritt and others as defendants and alleges constitutional violations, including retaliation against protected speech.
The overlap means multiple federal lawsuits are now simultaneously challenging the conduct of Jeff Davis County officials, though the allegations and factual circumstances differ significantly.
As with all civil litigation, the allegations in Haugen’s complaint are claims made by the plaintiff and have not been proven in court. Because Haugen is representing himself, federal courts generally construe pro se filings more broadly than attorney-drafted pleadings.
No hearings had been scheduled as of Friday, according to court records, and defendants had not yet filed formal responses to the complaint.
