Constitutional Challenge, Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Retaliation, Sec. 1983

U.S. Fifth Circuit holds former police officer failed to establish same-sex sexual harassment by supervisor even under recent Bostock decision

Brandy Newbury v City of Windcrest, Texas, 20-50067 (5th Cir. March 22, 2021) This is an employment discrimination case where the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the City’s motion for summary judgment. Brandy Newbury was a police
Read More

Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Retaliation, Sovereign Immunity

14th Court of Appeals holds ex-employees trigger date to file a charge of discrimination only occurs when employer’s discriminatory animus becomes sufficiently clear and he has suffered a tangible employment action

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas v. John Carter, 14-19-00422-CV (Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.], January 14, 2021) This is an employment dispute where the 14th Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of a plea to the jurisdiction filed by
Read More

Constitutional Challenge, Employment Law, Litigation, Retaliation, Sec. 1983, Whistleblower

The Ninth Court of Appeals affirmed judgment for City in First Amendment/Whistleblower claims since no causal connection was present

Special contributing author Laura Mueller, City Attorney for Dripping Springs Samer Shobassy v. City of Port Arthur, No. 09-18-00363-CV (Tex. App.—Port Arthur  November 19, 2020) (mem. op.). In this appeal from a trial court’s judgment dismissing the plaintiff’s retaliation-in-employment case.  The Beaumont
Read More

Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Retaliation, Sovereign Immunity

14th District Court of Appeals holds all elements of a circumstantial-evidence retaliation claim (including pretext) are jurisdictional, plus court lacked jurisdiction over Plaintiff’s discrimination claim

    Margaret Fields v. Houston Indep. Sch. Dist., 14-19-00010-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Oct. 15, 2020) This is an employment discrimination and retaliation case where the Houston Court of Appeals (14th Dist.) affirmed the granting of the school district’s plea to
Read More

Civil Service/Collective Bargaining, Discrimination, Employment Law, Retaliation, Sovereign Immunity

The First Court of Appeals to move forward with retaliation claim plaintiff must provide evidence of but-for causation

  Special contributing author Laura Mueller, City Attorney for Dripping Springs City of Houston v. Kimberley R. Trimmer-Davis, No. 01-19-00088-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] August 25, 2020) (mem. op.). In this employment retaliation case, the plaintiff sued the City when suspended after
Read More

Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Retaliation

Corpus Christi Court of Appeals held plaintiff can circumvent TWC for retaliation claim so long as underlying claim is based on TWC complaint

Special contributing author Laura Mueller, City Attorney for Dripping Springs Donna Indep Sch. Dist.. v. Cynthia Castilla, 13-19-00395-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi, August 13, 2020) (mem.op.). In this employment discrimination and retaliation case, the plaintiff brought some claims that occurred outside of the
Read More

Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Retaliation

Houston First Court of Appeals holds that a School’s participation in discovery does not waive its governmental immunity.

Special contributing author Laura Mueller, City Attorney for Dripping Springs Democratic Schools Research, Inc. d/b/a The Brazos School for Inquiry and Creativity v. Tiffany Rock, 01-19-00512-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.], Aug. 4, 2020). In this employment discrimination case, the Houston First Court
Read More

Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Retaliation

When alleged harasser was placed on restrictions, then restrictions were removed five months later, the fact the employer believed it did not have time to respond to subsequent complaint is irrelevant says El Paso Court of Appeals

  County of El Paso, Texas v. Monique Aguilar, 08-19-00082-CV, (Tex. App – El Paso, March 18, 2020) This is a gender discrimination/hostile work environment case where the El Paso Court of Appeals reversed-in-part and affirmed-in-part the denial of the County’s plea
Read More

Constitutional Challenge, Employment Law, Litigation, Official/Qualified Immunity, Retaliation, Sec. 1983

Supervisor entitled to qualified immunity as to one suspended employees 1st Amendment claim but not the other

Benfield v. Magee, 18-30932, (U.S. 5th Cir. December 17, 2019) This is a First Amendment in employment action where the U.S. 5th Circuit reversed the denial of the individual supervisor’s qualified immunity defense and dismissed the claims as to one employee, but
Read More

Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Retaliation

Former Employee Failed to Brief and ID Records Establishing Causation or Pretext in Employment Case

Orlando Toldson v. Denton Independent School District, 02-18-00394-CV (Tex. App. – Fort Worth, Nov. 21, 2019) This is a sexual harassment/retaliation claim where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals affirmed the employer’s motion for summary judgment. Toldson worked for Denton Independent School
Read More