Galvan v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Galvan v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Raymond Galvan brought this action under California law against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., on the ground that it had discriminated against him on the basis of a physical disability when it terminated him. See Cal. Gov’t Code § 12940(a). The district court granted summary judgment in favor of Wal-Mart, and Galvan appealed. We affirm.
(1) The district court did not err when it granted summary judgment on Galvan’s disability discrimination claim. We need not explore whether, under California law, Galvan has a disability
(2) The record shows beyond peradventure that Galvan was an at-will employee of Wal-Mart. That is the presumption,
(3) There can be no freestanding punitive damage claim. See Hilliard v. A.H. Robins Co., 148 Cal.App.3d 374, 391, 196 Cal.Rptr. 117, 128 (1984). Thus, the district court did not err when it granted summary judgment on the demand for punitive damages, while granting summary judgment on the other claims.
AFFIRMED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
. The parties suggest that the issue of disability under California law is essentially controlled by federal decisions related to the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213, and they cite only federal cases to us, but the California law which applies to that question may give considerably broader scope to the concept. See Cal. Gov’t Code §§ 12926(k)(l)(B)(i), 12926.1(c) (2001); Jensen v. Wells Fargo Bank, 85 Cal.App.4th 245, 257-58, 102 Cal.Rptr.2d 55, 64 (2000).
. Galvan now says that he has some evidence. But it was not put before the district court, and he cannot present it to us for the first time. See United States v. Elias, 921 F.2d 870, 874 (9th Cir. 1990).
. See Cal. Lab.Code § 2922; Lenk v. Total-Western, Inc., 89 Cal.App.4th 959, 969, 108 Cal.Rptr.2d 34, 41 (2001).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Raymond GALVAN v. WAL-MART STORES, INC.
- Status
- Published