A whistleblower retaliation lawsuit against Ray County will move to Clay County after both sides sought a change of venue but disagreed on where the case should go.

Former Ray County victim advocate Joslynn Marco sued the county in September 2025, alleging she was terminated in retaliation for reporting what she believed were policy violations involving the Ray County Prosecutor’s Office.

During a recent hearing, 43rd Judicial Circuit Court Judge Jason A. Kanoy ordered the case transferred to Clay County. Attorney Gene P. Graham Jr., representing Marco, requested Clay County, while attorney Steven F. Coronado, representing Ray County, requested Lafayette County.

Ray County is also represented by attorney Paul F. Gordon, who filed the county’s original application for a change of venue in November 2025. In that application, the county proposed Carroll County and argued it was entitled to a change of venue because Ray County has fewer than 75,000 residents. The county also maintained it cou…