Murphy v. Commonwealthexec. Office of the Trial Court
Murphy v. Commonwealthexec. Office of the Trial Court
Opinion of the Court
John Murphy (Plaintiff) brought this action asserting various claims against several defendants. Relevant here, against the Commonwealth, Plaintiff asserts claims for discrimination in violation of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B (Counts I and II) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (the "ADA") (Counts III and IV), and tort claims for termination and adverse employment action in violation of public policy (Counts V and VI). Against Stephen Abraham, Plaintiff asserts claims for aiding and abetting discrimination in violation of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B (Count VII) and *141claims for civil rights violations pursuant to
For the reasons that follow, Defendants' motion (Docket No. 14) is granted in part and denied in part.
Background
1. Pre-Termination Employment
The following facts come from the Plaintiff's complaint and documents incorporated by reference to his complaint.
On December 7, 2011, the Office of the State Auditor issued an Official Audit Report that found that "the Register of Probate's Office was missing $3,495 in Domestic relations entry fees" over a six month period. Defendant Steven Abraham responded to the report that "the funds in question are not actually missing and that some type of clerical error caused the $3,495 discrepancy." Plaintiff contends that court staff was in fact stealing fees that were being unlawfully collected, that Defendant Abraham was aware of this practice, and that Plaintiff's voiced opposition was a motivating factor in the subsequent termination of his employment.
In July 2012, Judge Joseph Lian showed the Plaintiff tomato plants growing on the balcony of his courtroom. A co-worker called to the Plaintiff from the street to pose for a photograph before returning inside and the Plaintiff extended his arms to be visible from behind the protecting netting surrounding the balcony. Defendant Abraham summoned the Plaintiff to his office the next day and alleged that Plaintiff's presence on the balcony frightened people and that Defendant Abraham had received complaints that people believed the Plaintiff was attempting suicide. Further, Defendant Abraham contended that Plaintiff's use of the balcony was erratic, dangerous, and reflected poorly on the court. Consequently, Defendant Abraham suspended Plaintiff from his position as a family law mediator indefinitely. The following weekend, Defendant Abraham called the Plaintiff to inform him that he would not be allowed to return to work without a letter from a mental health professional certifying his fitness to return. The psychiatrist whom the Plaintiff was required to see wrote a report stating that the Plaintiff could return to work without restrictions. The report also noted that the *142Plaintiff was formerly prescribed Ritalin for Attention Deficit Disorder but had not taken it for many years. The doctor did not make did not make new diagnoses, confirm the former diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder, or recommend further treatment. The report was provided to Defendant Abraham and never shown to Plaintiff. Defendant Abraham demanded that Plaintiff satisfy two preconditions before returning to work. First, Plaintiff was required to resume taking Ritalin. Second, Plaintiff was required to hire a therapist and take part in psychiatric treatment. Plaintiff agreed to these preconditions on the erroneous assumption that they were being imposed based on the doctor's findings.
Defendant Abrahams subsequently contacted the psychiatrist who examined Plaintiff. In October 2012, the psychiatrist, at Defendant Abraham's behest, issued an addendum to his report recommending the Plaintiff engage in further psychiatric treatment as a condition of continued employment. The addendum contained no reference to medication.
After Plaintiff returned to work, he began to hear rumors that Defendant Abraham told others that Plaintiff was mentally ill, behaving erratically, threatening, and had a problem with alcohol. Further, Defendant Abraham began treating Plaintiff differently upon his return to work. Defendant Abraham began making false accusations against Plaintiff and imposing restrictions on him at work such as requiring him to make daily reports of his activities.
Plaintiff contends that over a period of more than two years, Defendant Abraham exhibited differential treatment towards the Plaintiff in accordance with his perception that the Plaintiff suffered from mental illness. Further, Defendant Abrahams encouraged others to exhibit the same differential treatment. During that time, however, no litigant, co-worker, attorney or judge made any complaints regarding the plaintiff's mental health.
2. Pre-Termination Process
On May 7, 2013, Defendant Abraham held a hearing to determine whether there was just cause to discharge the Plaintiff. On May 14, 2013, Defendant Abraham issued his findings and notified the Plaintiff in writing that his employment was being terminated for a number of reasons. First, Defendant Abraham alleged that the Plaintiff's behavior was threatening to him and his family and that the Plaintiff was keeping him under surveillance. Second, Defendant Abraham alleged that Plaintiff maligned his reputation to other staff at the court and people in the community. Third, Defendant Abraham alleged that the Plaintiff became excessively involved in cases and gave legal advice to pro se litigants. Fourth, Defendant Abrahams claimed that he was notified on March 15, 2013 that the Plaintiff smelled of alcohol at work the day before. Fifth, Defendant Abraham claimed that the Plaintiff lied about a dentist appointment on March 14, 2013 so that the Plaintiff could go home to sleep because he was drunk. Finally, Defendant Abrahams alleges that Plaintiff acted inappropriately in connection with a modification of a divorce agreement in November of 2012. Plaintiff rejects all of these reasons as patently false. Following the Plaintiff's termination, five Probate and Family Court Judges wrote a letter to the Trial Court supporting the Plaintiff's reinstatement and his right to a post-termination hearing.
3. Post-Termination Process
Following his termination, the Plaintiff immediately initiated the grievance process as established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Trial Court and the Plaintiff's union. A hearing was eventually held on or about July 31, *1432013 before Massachusetts Trial Court Human Resource Manager, Christine Hegarty. Plaintiff alleges that Ms. Hegarty had been counseled and advised by Defendant Abraham for several months about the Plaintiff's termination and decided to deny the Plaintiff's grievance before the hearing took place, which rendered the hearing a sham. On August 20, 2013, Ms. Hegarty denied the Plaintiff's grievance and upheld his termination.
Following Plaintiff's grievance hearing, he immediately notified the union that he wished to pursue the next step in the grievance procedure, a Demand for Arbitration with the Massachusetts Trial Court. Under the terms of his Collective Bargaining Agreement, only the Plaintiff's Union can initiate this arbitration by filing a demand within twenty workdays after the initial post-termination hearing. The Plaintiff's Union, however, failed to make a timely demand for arbitration. Therefore, his grievance was held to be procedurally inarbitrable.
Standard of Review
Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1), a defendant may move to dismiss an action for lack of federal subject matter jurisdiction. "The party invoking the jurisdiction of a federal court carries the burden of proving its existence." Murphy v. United States,
In addition, a defendant may move to dismiss, based solely on the complaint, for the plaintiff's "failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). To survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, a complaint must allege "a plausible entitlement to relief." Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly ,
In evaluating a motion to dismiss, the court must accept all factual allegations in the complaint as true and draw all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff's favor. Langadinos v. American Airlines, Inc. ,
Discussion
1. Counts I, II, V, & VI
Counts I and II assert claims against the Commonwealth under *144Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, and Counts V and VI assert tort claims against the Commonwealth. This Court is without subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate state law claims asserted against the Commonwealth, and therefore these claims must be dismissed.
The Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution provides: "The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State." U.S. Const. Am. XI. "Although by its terms the Amendment applies only to suits against a State by citizens of another State, our cases have extended the Amendment's applicability to suits by citizens against their own States." Bd. of Trustees of Univ. of Alabama v. Garrett ,
There are two exceptions to Eleventh Amendment sovereign immunity, but neither apply here. First, Congress may abrogate a state's sovereign immunity through "appropriate legislation." Virginia Office for Prot. & Advocacy v. Stewart ,
Congress has clearly not abrogated the Commonwealth's immunity respect to these state law claims. Further, the Commonwealth has not waived its sovereign immunity either to tort claims or to claims under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B in federal court. See e.g. , Caisse v. DuBois ,
Plaintiff contends, however, that the Commonwealth has waived its immunity at least with respect to Chapter 151B claims. Plaintiff cites Adams for the proposition that past waivers of immunity should constitute a constructive waiver in this case.
Therefore, I find that the Commonwealth's past litigation of Chapter 151B claims does not constitute a constructive waiver of sovereign immunity. Accordingly, this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate Counts I, II, V, and VI.
Counts III & IV
Counts III and IV assert claims against the Commonwealth under the Americans with Disabilities Act,
While Plaintiff cites the ADA in his complaint only generally, his claim may be properly brought under Title I. Title I prohibits discrimination "against a qualified individual on the basis of disability in regard to job application procedures, the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees, employee compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment."
Plaintiff contends, however, that his claim may also be properly brought under Title II. Docket No. 17 at 5. Title II provides: "[N]o qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity."
I agree with the majority of the circuits that Title II unambiguously does not cover employment discrimination. Plaintiff notes that the Department of Justice has promulgated a regulation stating that Title II does cover employment practices.
2. Count VII
Count VII asserts a claim against Defendant Abraham for aiding and abetting discrimination in violation of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B. Defendants contend that this claim must be dismissed because the underlying claim against the Commonwealth is dismissed due to sovereign immunity. They cite Russell v. Cooley Dickinson Hosp, Inc. for the proposition that because there can be no liability for discrimination in this case, there can be no liability for aiding and abetting discrimination.
Defendants' proposition, however, does not apply in this case. There may be liability for discrimination here-it simply may not be adjudicated by this court. In Russell , the plaintiff could not prove his Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B discrimination claims against his employer, and therefore claims brought against an employee for aiding and abetting were dismissed. Here, Plaintiff may still prove the underlying discrimination that the plaintiff in Russell could not. Plaintiff then must show that Mr. Abraham "committed a wholly individual and distinct wrong [of aiding and abetting discrimination] ... separate and distinct *147from the claim in the main." Runyon v. Wellington Management Co., LLP , No. 13-CV-11236-DJC,
Thus, while the Commonwealth has sovereign immunity against the underlying discrimination claim, it does not follow that this court may not adjudicate a derivative yet distinct claim against Mr. Abraham.
3. Counts IX, & X
Counts IX and X assert claims against Defendant Abraham pursuant to
4. Counts XI & XII
"To state a valid procedure due process claim, a plaintiff must (1) 'identify a protected liberty or property interest,' and (2) 'allege that the defendants ... deprived [him] of that interest without constitutionally adequate process.' " Air Sunshine, Inc. v. Carl ,
a. Pre-Termination Process
Because the Plaintiff had a protected property interest in his continued employment, he could not be discharged without due process, including a hearing before his termination. Cleveland Bd. Of Educ. v. Loudermill ,
*148In Bliss v. Sanguinet , the plaintiff contended that his pre-termination hearing was a "sham" because the decision to terminate his employment had been made before the hearing, "as evidenced by [the defendant's] prior statements." No. CIV.A. 12-10123-RWZ,
Like the defendant in Bliss , whose prior statements evidenced the futility of pre-termination procedures, Defendant Abraham's actions demonstrate that the Plaintiff did not have a sufficiently fair hearing to satisfy due process requirements. Importantly, Defendant Abrahams was the person who held the hearing and, following the hearing, decided to terminate the Plaintiff's employment. Yet, in the years leading up to his pre-termination hearing, Defendant Abraham had promulgated lies about the Plaintiff, forced him to take prescription medications, and exhibited differential treatment based on a perception that the Plaintiff was mentally ill. According to the Plaintiff, this is simply because he had resisted an unlawful scheme to which Defendant Abraham was complicit. If these allegations are true, and at this stage in the litigation we accept them as true, then the inference that the Plaintiff's pre-termination hearing was a sham is almost inescapable. Thus, at this stage in the litigation the Plaintiff has made adequate factual allegations that his termination was pre-ordained and is consequently entitled to proceed with his procedural due process claim.
b. Post-Termination Process
"[I]f a state provides adequate post-deprivation remedies-either by statute or through the common-law tort remedies available in its courts-no claim of a violation of procedural due process can be brought under § 1983 against the state officials whose random and unauthorized conduct caused the deprivation." Lowe v. Scott ,
Thus, despite the availability of post-termination procedures (without examining whether they sufficed to satisfy the requirements of due process) the Plaintiff was entitled to pre-termination due process. Cotnoir v. Univ. of Maine Sys. ,
Conclusion
For the reasons set forth above, Defendants' motion to dismiss (Docket No. 14) is granted in part and denied in part. Counts I, II, III, IV, V, and VI are dismissed. Counts VII, IX, X, XI, and XII remain.
SO ORDERED.
Defendants assert and Plaintiff agrees that Defendant Abraham's letter announcing his decision following Plaintiff's pre-termination hearing is incorporated by reference to Plaintiff's complaint. See Watterson v. Page ,
While neither the Supreme Court nor the First Circuit have addressed this issue, sister circuits have found, in the context of tribal immunity, that past litigation does not constitute a constructive waiver. See McClendon v. United States ,
Plaintiff had a reasonable and constitutionally protected expectation of continued employment because, under the terms of his Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Plaintiff had a right to continued employment unless just cause existed to justify his termination. See Wojcik v. Massachusetts State Lottery Com'n ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John F. MURPHY v. Commonwealth of MASSACHUSETTS - EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF the TRIAL COURT, Hon. Paula M. Carey, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Trial Court, Harry Spence, Court Administrator of the Massachusetts Trial Court, and Stephen G. Abraham
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published