I would not read a lot into this case, and it is certainly no watershed event in the field of discrimination law.
The trial judge had overruled the jury's finding that the firing was discriminatory. That is not unheard of, but it is not usual. That fact gave the Court of Appeals some latitude to delve into the facts itself, which is something appellate courts ordinarily can't do and don't do.
The appellate court then reinstated the jury's verdict but cut the award from $200,000 to $30,000. That's a polite way of saying, "Just because we thought the trial judge was wrong doesn't mean we thought the jury was right."
I don't believe you will see this opinion cited very often in future cases.
The trial judge had overruled the jury's finding that the firing was discriminatory. That is not unheard of, but it is not usual.Coar, David H.
- Born 1943 in Birmingham, AL
Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Nominated by William J. Clinton on August 16, 1994, to a seat vacated by Ilana Diamond Rovner; Confirmed by the Senate on October 6, 1994, and received commission on October 7, 1994. Assumed senior status on August 12, 2009.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Illinois, 1986-1994
Education:
Syracuse University, B.A., 1964
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1969
Harvard Law School, LL.M., 1970
Professional Career:
U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant, 1965
U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Sergeant, 1965-1971
Legal intern, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, New York City, 1970-1971
Private practice, Mobile, Alabama 1971-1972
Private practice, Birmingham, Alabama, 1972-1974
Associate professor and associate dean, DePaul University College of Law, 1974-79, 1982-86
U.S. Trustee, Northern District of Illinois, 1979-1982
Visiting professor of law, College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe Law School, 1985
Race:
African-American
=============================
Betcha the plaintiff's heart sank when she got a look at Billy Clinton's planted feral judge, and realized that she was going up against The Club.
Eric Holder will probably have her arrested and beaten in the basement of the "Justice Brothers Department"...