Spierer family lawsuit to progress

Part of the lawsuit against two men who were with missing IU student Lauren Spierer the night she disappeared will move forward.

Spierer, a then-20-year-old sophomore, has yet to be located following exhaustive searches the past two and a half years. She was last seen June 3, 2011.

Lauren’s parents, Rob and Charlene Spierer, allege in a complaint filed May 31 that Jason Rosenbaum and Corey Rossman abandoned “duty of care” for their daughter as they provided her with alcoholic beverages when she was already intoxicated. Two negligence counts remain against Rosenbaum and Rossman after they sought dismissal of the suit.

According to U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt’s ruling issued Monday, a third count alleging negligence on behalf of Rosenbaum and Rossman “resulting in the disappearance, death or injury of an adult child” was dismissed.

“This ruling confirms that our lawsuit has merit and that we are entitled to ask important questions of these defendants and other witnesses,” Jeanine Kerridge, attorney for the Spierers, said in an email. “We have respected the defendants' rights to seek a dismissal and we now hope that the defendants will respect our right to full and complete discovery that our system of justice allows us to receive.”

Follow reporter Michael Majchrowicz on Twitter @mjmajchrowicz.