LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION AND …

1 LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION AND. wrongful DISCHARGE CLAIMS. Robert A. Bragalone Thomas E. Chandler Cooper & Scully, Founders Square 900 Jackson Street, Suite 100. Dallas, Texas 75202. (214) 712-9500. (214) 712-9540 fax 2006 Employment Law Seminar Bragalone - BOB BRAGALONE. BIO: born Bossier City, Louisiana, December 30, 1964; admitted to bar, 1990, Texas and District Court, Northern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas ( , magna cum laude, 1986, , 1990) and Dallas Theological Seminary ( , summa cum laude, 1999). Academic honors include Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Kappa Phi; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Eta Sigma; Pi Sigma Alpha; Alpha Lambda Delta. National Order of Barristers. Champion and Best Advocate, Mock Trial Competition, 1988. Finalist, Mock Trial Competition, 1989. Regional Champion and National Semi-Finalist, 1990 Moot Court Competition.

2 Member, 1989. National Moot Court Team. Member, Board of Directors, University of Texas Board of Advocates, 1989-1990. Managing Editor, American Journal of Criminal Law, 1988-1989. Assistant Instructor (Teaching Quizmaster), Legal Research, Writing and Appellate Advocacy, University of Texas Law School, 1989-1990. Briefing Attorney to the Honorable David Belew, Jr., United States District Judge, Northern District of Texas, 1990- 1991. National Secretary, Board of Governors, National Order of Barristers, 1989-1990. Life Member, National Registry of Who's Who. Member: Dallas and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. THOMAS E. CHANDLER. BIO: born Houston, Texas, April 15, 1976; admitted to bar, 2001, Texas, District Court, Eastern District of Texas; 2004, District Court, Northern District of Texas.

3 Education: University of Richmond ( , 1998), Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law ( 2001). Member, SMU Law Review Association, 1999 - 2001, Editor-in-Chief, SMU Law Review, 2000 - 2001, Jackson Walker Moot Court Board, 2000 - 2001. Law Clerk to the Honorable Richard Schell, United States District Judge, Eastern District of Texas, 2001. - 2002. Member: Dallas Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. Bragalone - LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION . AND wrongful DISCHARGE CLAIMS COOPER & SCULLY, PAGE i TABLE OF CONTENTS. I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW .. 1. II. EVALUATION AND STRATEGY .. 1. A. Possible Claims .. 1. B. Title VII .. 1. 1. Protected Conduct .. 1. 2. Adverse Employment Action .. 2. 3. Causal Connection .. 2. a. Timing .. 3. b. Performance .. 3. c. Comparative Treatment.

4 3. d. Decision Making .. 4. C. Parties/Fact Witnesses/Venue .. 4. 1. Plaintiff .. 4. 2. Co-workers .. 4. 3. Management .. 4. 4. Venue .. 4. 5. Opposing Counsel .. 4. D. Strategy .. 4. III. DISCOVERY .. 5. A. Written Discovery .. 5. 1. Requests for Disclosure .. 5. 2. Interrogatories .. 5. 3. Requests for Production .. 5. 4. Requests for Admission .. 5. B. Fact Witness Depositions .. 5. 1. Plaintiff .. 5. 2. Management .. 5. 3. Co-Workers .. 6. IV. MOTION PRACTICE .. 6. A. Federal Court .. 6. 1. Motions to Dismiss .. 6. 2. Motions for Summary Judgment .. 6. B. Texas State Court .. 7. 1. Motion for Summary Judgment .. 7. V. EXPERTS .. 7. A. Depositions .. 7. 1. Preparation .. 7. 2. Discover All of the Opinions of the Adverse Expert .. 7. 3. The Expert's Qualifications .. 8. 4. Bias Shown By History of Testimony .. 8. 5. Obtain Testimony Favorable To Your Case.

5 8. B. Case Law and Rules of Evidence .. 8. 1. The Rules of Evidence .. 8. Bragalone - i LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION . AND wrongful DISCHARGE CLAIMS COOPER & SCULLY, PAGE ii a. Rule 702 .. 8. b. Rule 703 .. 8. 2. The Simple Three-Step Approach .. 9. 3. The Burden of Proof .. 9. 4. The Daubert/Robinson Factors .. 9. 5. Key Texas Cases After Robinson .. 9. a. Merrell Dow Pharm., Inc. v. Havner .. 10. b. Gammill v. Jack Williams Chevrolet, Inc.. 10. c. Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Kunze .. 10. d. Taylor v. Am. Fabritech, Inc.. 10. e. Volkswagen of America, Inc. v. Ramirez .. 10. f. United Services Auto. Ass'n v. Croft .. 11. 6. Key Federal Cases After Daubert .. 11. a. Kumbo Tire Co., Ltd. v. Carmichael .. 11. b. Moore v. Ashland Chemical Inc.. 11. c. Tanner v. Westbrook .. 11. d. Mays Farm Lloyds .. 11. e. Mathis v. Exxon Corp.

6 11. C. The Trial Court Must Determine Whether the Expert is Qualified .. 12. D. Daubert/Robinson Questions .. 12. VI. TRIAL .. 13. A. The Theme .. 13. 1. Good Place to Work .. 13. 2. Due Process .. 13. 3. Management .. 13. B. The Jury .. 13. Bragalone - ii LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION . AND wrongful DISCHARGE CLAIMS COOPER & SCULLY, PAGE iii TABLE OF AUTHORITIES. Case Page(s). Broders v. Heise, 924 148 (Tex. 1996) .. 12. Burger v. Cent. Apartment Mgmt., Inc., 168 875 (5th Cir. 1999) .. 2. Burlington N. & Santa Fe Co. v. White, - -, - 2006 WL 1698953 ( ) .. 2. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharm., Inc., 509 579 (1993) .. 8. Dollis v. Rubin, 77 777 (5th Cir. 1995) .. 2. EEOC v. Cosmair, Inc., 821 1085 (5th Cir. 1987)(ADEA case) .. 2. duPont de Nemours & Co., Inc. v. Robinson, 923 549 (Tex. 1995) .. 9, 12. Gammill v. Jack Williams Chevrolet, Inc.

7 , 972 713 (Tex. 1998) .. 10. Grizzle v. Travelers Health Network, Inc., 14 261 (5th Cir. 1994) .. 1. Jefferies v. Harris County Cmty. Action Ass'n, 615 1025 (5th Cir. 1980) .. 2. Kumho Tire Co., Ltd. v. Carmichael, 526 137 (1999) .. 11. Long v. Eastfield Coll., 88 300 (5th Cir. 1996) .. 1, 3. Mathis v. Exxon Corp., 302 448 (5th Cir. 2002) .. 11, 12. Mays v. State Farm Lloyds, 98 F. 785 ( Tex. 2000) .. 11. Merrell Dow Pharm., Inc. v. Havner, 953 706 (Tex. 1997) .. 10. Moore v. Ashland Chem. Inc., 151 269 (5th ) .. 11. Nowlin v. Resolution Trust Corp., Bragalone - iii LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION . AND wrongful DISCHARGE CLAIMS COOPER & SCULLY, PAGE iv 33 498 (5th Cir. 1994) .. 3. Payne v. McLemore's Wholesale & Retail Stores, 654 1130 (5th Cir. 1981) .. 1, 2. Perez v. Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice, 395 206 (5th Cir.)

8 2004) .. 3. Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prod., Inc., 530 133 (2000) .. 6. Rhodes v. Guiberson Oil Tools, 75 989 (5th Cir. 1996) .. 6. Vadie v. Mississippi State University, et al, 218 365 (5th Cir. 2000) .. 6, 7. Robinson v. Shell Oil Co., 519 337 (1997) .. 2. Seaman v. CSPH, Inc., 179 297 (5th Cir. 1999) .. 3. Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Kunze, 996 416 (Tex. App. Beaumont 1999, pet. denied) .. 10. Sharp v. City of Houston, 164 923 (5th Cir. 1999) .. 2. Sherrod v. Am. Airlines, Inc., 132 1112 (5th Cir. 1998) .. 3. Tanner v. Westbrook, 174 542 (5th Cir. 1999) .. 11. Taylor v. Am. Fabritech, Inc., 132 613 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2004, rehearing overruled) .. 10. United Services Auto. Ass'n v. Croft, 175 457 (Tex. App. Dallas 2005, no pet.) .. 11. Volkswagen of America, Inc. v. Ramirez, 159 897 (Tex. 2004) .. 11. Statutes, Rules & Constitutions Page(s).

9 29 151 .. 1. 29 201 .. 1. 29 621-634 .. 1. 29 651-678 .. 1. Bragalone - iv LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION . AND wrongful DISCHARGE CLAIMS COOPER & SCULLY, PAGE v 42 2000 .. 1. 42 12101 .. 1. FED. R. CIV. P. 12b(1) .. 6. FED. R. CIV. P. 12b(6) .. 6. FED. R. CIV. P. 56 .. 6. FED. R. EVID. 702 .. 8. FED. R. EVID. 703 .. 8, 9. TEXAS LABOR CODE .. 1. TEX. R. CIV. P. 166 .. 5. TEX. R. CIV. P. 166a(1) .. 7. TEX. R. CIV. P.. 5. TEX. R. CIV. P. (e) .. 5, 7. Bragalone - v LITIGATING RETALIATORY TERMINATION . AND wrongful DISCHARGE CLAIMS COOPER & SCULLY, PAGE 1. I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Human Rights Act, Texas Labor Code , as well as common law claims of defamation, breach of contract, Employers encounter a wide variety of legal invasion of privacy, and fraud or negligent issues in the course of running their businesses. misrepresentation, among others.

10 To successfully defend Occasionally, employers must defend themselves in a wrongful discharge claim, attorneys must be thoroughly lawsuits brought by former employees. This paper familiar with the particular elements of each cause of discusses issues that arise in the course of LITIGATING action. Attorneys should pay particular attention to the RETALIATORY TERMINATION and wrongful discharge claims short limitations periods in which the plaintiff must first from the defense perspective. give notice of a claim found in most Texas statutes. This paper focuses on LITIGATING RETALIATORY An analysis of the elements of every conceivable TERMINATION and wrongful discharge claims from the claim for wrongful discharge is beyond the scope of this initial evaluation through trial, beginning with a paper. However, a discussion of Title VII, perhaps the discussion of the evaluation process.