BENTONVILLE — A judge ordered former employees of a Rogers restaurant to turn over control of the restaurant's Facebook page Thursday.
Rogers attorney Jennifer Gray filed the lawsuit last month on behalf of Rogers Catfish House against Jason Flynn and Amanda Flynn, who were employees of the restaurant located at 2102 1/2 S. Eighth St.
Judge John Scott ordered Thursday that the Flynns turn over the page to Sam Hawkins, the restaurant's owner. The judge found that the page belonged to the restaurant and that the Flynns were the administrators.
Sam Hawkins, the owner of the restaurant, testified that the Flynns became administrators of the page after his general manager left the business.
Hawkins said the Facebook page is one of the main ways he advertised and communicated with his customers.
Hawkins testified he had attempted to retrieve the page from the Flynns after they left the business in June 2016.
He testified that one of the Flynns had made remarks on the Facebook page that were running away his customers.
The Flynns claimed that Hawkins had made an agreement with them to return tools that they had left at the restaurant in exchange for the Facebook page. Hawkins denied taking or having any knowledge of the Flynn’s missing tools.
"We just want our Facebook page back and to be administrators,” Hawkins responded to a question for his attorneys. “That’s all we are asking for.”
The Flynns acted as their own attorneys.
Hawkins denied taking any tools when questioned by each of the Flynns. Hawkins said the Flynns took their tools from the restaurant.
David Edgar, the restaurant’s general manager, testified that he created the restaurant’s Facebook page and used it for advertising. Edgar turned over the page to the Flynns.
Edgar said the page belongs to the restaurant and he never thought he personally owned the page.
Neither of the Flynns testified at the hearing.
Scott ordered the Flynns to turn over the page by 4 p.m. Thursday.
Jason Flynn said he would remove his name and make Hawkins’ wife the administrator of the page.
The judge told the Flynns that he would conduct a hearing concerning the missing tools if they raised the issue with the court.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.