J.J. Rush’s Daughter’s Lawsuit: Settlement and Payout Timing

Meghan Rush’s wrongful death lawsuit against Cara Ryan, her father’s ex-wife and the woman acquitted of killing him, ended in an agreed final judgment entered on January 7, 2019, in Pinellas County Circuit Court.¹ The dollar amount, the terms, and any payout date were not made part of the public record.

What the Lawsuit Sought

Meghan Rush filed the suit on March 6, 2017, in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court, roughly six weeks after a jury acquitted Cara Ryan of second-degree murder in the March 2015 shooting death of retired St. Petersburg police sergeant John “J.J.” Rush.² She brought the case both individually and as administrator ad litem of her father’s estate, and claimed damages in excess of $15,000.³

The core of the complaint invoked Florida’s Slayer Statute, which prevents a person from financially benefiting from someone they killed. The lawsuit alleged Ryan may have been receiving J.J. Rush’s pension, estimated at about $1,500 per month, along with life insurance benefits. Meghan Rush asked the court to cut Ryan off from those funds and redirect them to her as her father’s heir.²

Ryan, represented by attorney C. Ryan Jones, filed her answer on July 24, 2017. She acknowledged the marriage and 2006 divorce and admitted the plaintiff was claiming more than $15,000, but denied liability.³

How the Case Ended

The case was assigned to Judge George M. Jirotka under case number 17-001383-CI. Meghan Rush was represented by attorney Christian Waugh.¹²

On January 7, 2019, the court entered a “Final Judgment (Agreed),” recorded in Volume/Book 20395, Page 1735 of the Pinellas County records. A final disposition form and a separate judgment entry were filed the same day.¹ The “(Agreed)” label means the parties negotiated the resolution rather than proceeding to a civil trial.

The docket shows no post-judgment motions to enforce or modify the judgment, which typically suggests the agreed terms were carried out without further dispute.¹

Why the Settlement Amount Isn’t Public

No publicly available source discloses the dollar amount, the specific terms, or a payout date. Agreed judgments in Florida civil cases often incorporate confidentiality provisions, and unless a party later moves to enforce the deal in court, the financial terms usually stay between the parties and their attorneys. That is what appears to have happened here: the docket goes quiet after the January 2019 entry.

Typical Payout Timing After a Florida Agreed Judgment

While the Rush case timeline isn’t public, Florida law sets a general framework for how quickly money moves once a wrongful death case is resolved. After releases are signed, families can generally expect funds within 30 to 60 days. Under Florida Statute § 627.4265, insurers must pay within 20 days of a final judgment, though settlement payment speed depends on the specific terms of the agreement.

Several things can push that window out. Probate proceedings on the decedent’s estate, outstanding medical liens or debts that must be satisfied first, disputes among multiple beneficiaries, and insurance company administrative processes each add time. If minor children are among the beneficiaries, Florida law requires court oversight of the distribution, which adds more. Settlement funds generally flow to the estate first, and the estate must clear its obligations before the remainder reaches the heirs.

Applied to the Rush matter, that framework suggests any payout tied to the January 7, 2019 judgment would ordinarily have moved within weeks to a few months after that date, subject to whatever probate and Slayer Statute mechanics the agreed terms set up. The file itself confirms none of that; it confirms only the date the case closed.

1
UniCourt. Meghan Rush, Individually, et al. v. Cara Ryan
2
Tampa Bay Times. Former Pinellas Teacher Acquitted of Ex-Husband’s Murder Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit
3
Trellis.law. Answer and Affirmative Defenses, Meghan Rush v. Cara Ryan