Case Explained:This article breaks down the legal background, charges, and implications of Case Explained: Counterclaim filed in lawsuit against Boy Scout leader John Sorovetz – Legal Perspective
A counterclaim has been filed in the lawsuit against Boy Scout troop leader John Steven Sorovetz, 64, of Newport.
On Jan. 27, a Rockwood minor and his mother, through Flood Law of Detroit in partnership with Lipton Law of Southgate, filed a civil lawsuit alleging grooming behavior, harassment and attempted sexual abuse by Sorovetz, then a committee chairman for Boy Scout Troop 508 of Ash Township. The lawsuit was filed in Third Circuit Court in Wayne County.
According to Wayne County Court records, Sorovetz is scheduled for a status conference on April 28 and a motion hearing on June 23.
Sorovetz’s attorney, Jim Makowski of Makowski Legal Group of Livonia, told The Monroe News in February, “There is no substance to these allegations.”
On Feb. 18, Makowski filed a counterclaim against the minor by and through his mother. The counterclaim contends the “plaintiff’s complaints are false and have caused substantial harm to defendant Sorovetz through defamatory publications and malicious prosecution.”
“The false statements were published to third parties with actual malice or at minimum negligence, casing substantial harm to defendant Sorovetz’s reputation, standing in the community and emotional well-being,” the lawsuit says.
“As a direct and proximate result of these defamatory publications, defendant Sorovetz has suffered and continues to suffer damage to his reputation, emotional distress, loss of standing in the community and other damages,” the lawsuit says.
The counterclaim said Sorovetz suffers from “severe emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, loss of sleep and psychological injuries.”
The suit seeks “compulsory damages in an amount to be determined at trial for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution and abuse of process,” according to the lawsuit.
Also sought are “costs and reasonable attorney fees as permitted by law, including sanctions for frivolous claims,” according to the counterclaim.
In an email statement, Flood Law said, “This counterclaim is an attempt to deflect from the substance of the allegations and to intimidate our clients, who want accountability for what happened to their child. To allege that reporting abuse and grooming to police and pursuing civil accountability constitutes defamation is legally meritless and an insult to victims of sexual abuse. Reporting sexual abuse, especially when a minor is involved, is always the right thing to do.”
The minor, according to the lawsuit against Sorovetz, was under the age of 14 at the time of the alleged incidents.
Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are Boy Scouts of America and its Michigan affiliate, Michigan Crossroads Council.
“The complaint alleges a pattern of grooming behavior that escalated over time, including unwanted physical contact, sexually explicit conversations and exposure to pornographic videos that were enabled by one-on-one access to the child,” according to a Feb. 5 email from Flood Law.
After the minor’s mother called the Rockwood Police Department in September 2025, the case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which turned it over to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Monroe County Prosecutor Jeffery A. Yorkey said in early February, “As of now we don’t have enough evidence to go forward.”
— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler atswisler@monroenews.com.