University of Iowa ordered to release 'John Doe' settlement

A judge has ordered the University of Iowa to release a resignation agreement with a former medical school employee who filed a lawsuit trying to keep the document and his own identity a secret.

In a ruling last week, District Judge Thomas Reidel agreed with The Associated Press that the settlement was a public record under Iowa law. He said the public had a right to know the details, including a $100,000 bonus offered if the employee left the university's payroll before a specific date.

Reidel rejected arguments by the former employee - identified in court records as "John Doe" - that the record was confidential.

Reidel ordered the document to be released immediately, but that process wasn't complete Monday. The employee could seek to suspend the ruling and appeal.