In a recent Order in Doe v. Cuba Gooding, Jr. (SDNY, 20-cv–6569) – in which the plaintiff alleges that defendant, Cuba Gooding, Jr., forcibly raped her in 2013 – the Court (i) granted the plaintiff’s motions to proceed pseudonymously, (ii) granted the plaintiff’s motion for default judgment as to defendant’s liability, and (iii) reserved judgment as…
Read More Default Judgment Issued in Cuba Gooding, Jr. Rape CaseIn a recent case, Kengerski v. Orlando Harper; County of Allegheny, 2021 WL 3199225 (3d Cir. July 29, 2021), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit revived the plaintiff’s retaliation claim asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This decision is instructive as to the claim for so-called “associational…
Read More Title VII “Race-Association” Retaliation Claim, Arising From “Monkey” Comment, Improperly Dismissed on Summary Judgment, Third Circuit HoldsIn Alberto Coronado v. Veolia North America Inc. & Subsidiaries et al, NY Sup. Ct. NY Cty. 450319/2019 (April 6, 2021), a motor vehicle accident case, the court held that the defendant was not entitled to obtain discovery of so-called “litigation funding” material from the plaintiff. Despite the liberal construction courts give to the CPLR’s…
Read More Litigation Funding Discovery Denied in Car Accident CaseIn Lively v. WAFRA Investment Advisory Group, Inc., 2021 WL 3118943 (2d Cir. July 23, 2021), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s award to defendant of judgment on the pleadings, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c), of plaintiff’s age discrimination and retaliation claims asserted under the Age…
Read More ADEA Retaliation Claim Dismissal (Judgment on the Pleadings) AffirmedIn Lively v. WAFRA Investment Advisory Group, Inc., 2021 WL 3118943 (2d Cir. July 23, 2021), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s award to defendant of judgment on the pleadings, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c), of plaintiff’s age discrimination and retaliation claims asserted under the Age…
Read More ADEA Age Discrimination Claim Dismissal (Judgment on the Pleadings) Affirmed, Notwithstanding Ageist CommentsIn Avent v. Target Corporation et al, 19-1565, 2021 WL 3089120 (NDNY July 22, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s race-based “adverse action” discrimination claims asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (I wrote about the court’s assessment of plaintiff’s race-based hostile work environment claims here.)…
Read More Race Discrimination Claim, Based on “Adverse Actions”, Sufficiently Alleged Against TargetIn Avent v. Target Corporation et al, 19-1565, 2021 WL 3089120 (NDNY July 22, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s race-based hostile work environment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The court explained: [T]he Court found that Plaintiff sufficiently stated…
Read More Race-Based Hostile Work Environment Claims Sufficiently Alleged Against TargetIn November 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law an update to New York’s anti-SLAPP law that expands the rights and protections of defendants in lawsuits based on their right to free speech. “SLAPP” is an acronym for “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation.” While New York had an anti-SLAPP law on the books for…
Read More Court Applies NY’s Recently-Enhanced Anti-SLAPP Law to Dismiss Defamation Claim Asserted By Queens DoctorA recent decision, Estevez v. Berkeley College et al, 18-cv-10350, 2021 WL 3115452 (S.D.N.Y. July 19, 2021), once again discusses when alleged gender-based conduct crosses the line and becomes an actionable “hostile work environment.” As the court’s detailed decision addresses a number of additional issues (including whether the alleged conduct was “because of” plaintiffs’ sex),…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Comments About Appearance Were Not “Severe or Pervasive”In Ibela v. Allied Universal, 20-cv-3800, 2021 WL 3077482 (S.D.N.Y. July 20, 2021), the court held that plaintiff’s failure to specify his “disability” was a fatal pleading defect, resulting in the dismissal of his complaint alleging disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. From the decision: In his Amended Complaint, Plaintiff never specified what…
Read More Failure to Specify Disability Results in Dismissal of ADA Discrimination Complaint