Victim's Legal Counsel Speaks Out About Round Rock ISD Board's Decision to Reinstate Superintendent Dr. Hafedh Azaiez

AUSTIN, Texas, April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Adam T. Muery, senior partner with Muery & Farrell, P.C., released a public statement today regarding Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees' decision to reinstate Dr. Hafedh Azaiez as district superintendent:

"I am legal counsel to Ms. Ruiz, victim of assault and domestic abuse by Hafedh Azaiez, Superintendent of Round Rock ISD. I am writing to provide information pertaining to the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees decision to re-instate Azaiez.

Succinctly stated, the FACTS were ignored by five of the board members in making this decision and re-instating this man who is so apparently guilty of domestic violence.

As counsel for Ms. Ruiz, I am appalled that five members of the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees would allow for their decision to be based on political expediency over basic decency. Ms. Ruiz heeded our advice to issue this statement so that her silence would not be construed as giving validity to the false narrative being promulgated by Azaiez, his team of attorneys, and five of the members of the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees.

For months we have remained silent, at Ms. Ruiz's request, giving the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees the opportunity to make their decision based on the report of the independent investigator that they empowered to evaluate the allegations against Azaiez. We cooperated with that investigation, allowing the investigator to review my client's agreement with Azaiez, in which he agreed, among other things, to:

• a permanent restraining order punishable by criminal contempt forbidding Azaiez to come within 500 feet of Ms. Ruiz, her residence, her place of employment, her place of worship or the place of education of her children
  
  
• waive any and all rights as a father to his unborn child
  
  
• neither disparage nor cause anyone to disparage Ms. Ruiz's reputation
  
  
• maintain the confidentiality of the dealings of the parties

We were informed that the investigation included facts from the restraining order and settlement agreement. The investigator herself was a superintendent with four decades of experience. Despite her clear recommendation of looking at the facts, five of the trustees chose to ignore the facts and reinstate Azaiez.

They made the decision to keep him as superintendent of schools despite knowing there existed a permanent order from a judge threatening Azaiez with up to six months in jail for coming within 500 feet of certain schools or places of worship in Texas.

Despite the non-disparagement and confidentiality agreement, which Azaiez voluntarily entered, he, through his attorney Mary Nix, has continued to victimize Ms. Ruiz through repeated press statements and falsehoods. She has been derided and attacked on social media platforms. Ms. Ruiz has been tormented as she has continuously been followed, stalked and surreptitiously photographed. She has received death threats. She has been repeatedly referred to as a mistress in the press and labeled with the scarlet letter. 

And finally,

1. Mary Nix's previous statement that she had incontrovertible proof that the assault did not occur is false. Azaiez and his attorneys were afraid that we would prevail in meeting our burden of proof that the assault did occur in a contested hearing, and the protective order would be granted. Otherwise, they would not have agreed to a permanent restraining order punishable by criminal contempt. Ms. Ruiz agreed to the restraining order instead of pushing for the protective order because it was the only way she could be assured that Azaiez would never have possession or access to their unborn child.
   
   
2. Azaiez and his team have previously suggested that it was impossible for Ms. Ruiz to be pregnant with Azaiez's child. If that were the case, there would have been no reason for Azaiez to negotiate within the agreement that if he were to be scientifically proven to be the child's father that his child support would be capped to the one-time payment that was meant to cover Ms. Ruiz's legal expenses in pursuing the protective order, something she'd be entitled to by law, and a portion of the expenses related to the pregnancy.
   
   
3. The criminal case by the Travis County Sheriff's office against Hafedh Azaiez was not closed, it was made inactive. At that time Ms. Ruiz could not bear the combined stress of the media attention, the threats against her, and her professional responsibilities. She was assured by the Travis County Sheriff's Office investigator in writing that they could activate the criminal case when Ms. Ruiz provided the needed information.

Ms. Ruiz physically suffered first at the hands of Azaiez, and now is being re-victimized by the actions of five of the members of Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees. They ignored the facts presented by their own investigator, and reinstated this abuser to his job overseeing the education of children, meanwhile actively besmirching the reputation of my client, who herself is a proven leader in the education field. She trusts that the TEA will now take the necessary action with regards to Azaiez.

There are multiple causes of action that we are considering on behalf of Ms. Ruiz and anticipate filing a lawsuit against Azaiez as early as next week."

Media Inquiries
Christine Haas, Haas Communications
[email protected]
(512) 751-1592

SOURCE Muery & Farrell, P.C.