Shea v. ClintonShea v. Clinton
Darrell C. Valdez, William Mark Nebeker, U.S. Attorney‘s Office, Washington, DC, for Defendant.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
ROYCE C. LAMBERTH, Chief Judge.
Before the Court is the defendant‘s Motion to Amend Answer, Sept. 20, 2012, ECF No. 129. Upon consideration of the motion, the
I. BACKGROUND
This is a Title VII discrimination claim brought by pro se plaintiff William Shea, a White career Foreign Service officer, against the Department of State (“State“). Compl., Mar. 3, 2002, ECF No. 1. State had a Mid-Level Minority Hiring Program (“MLAAP“) in force when it hired Shea in 1992. Mid-level hiring allowed State to hire a Foreign Service candidate directly into a higher grade, rather than into an entry-level grade. Mid-level hiring required a “certification of need” either that an outside hire was required, or the candidate was a member of a specified minority group under the MLAAP. Candidates for mid-level hiring were also required to (a) have substantial professional experience, (b) receive a passing grade on an oral examination, and (c) pass a background check. Shea alleged that he would have passed the screening process, but was excluded from consideration solely because of his race, as there was no certification of need. Specifically, Shea alleged harm because his hiring at entry-level rather than mid-level grade has subjected him to lower pay and fewer promotion opportunities than members of minority groups admitted under the MLAAP, in violation of his rights under Title VII. Shea also alleged constitutional violations, but the Court dismissed those claims and Shea did not appeal the dismissal. The Title VII claim is the only one still before the Court. See Shea v. Clinton, 850 F.Supp.2d 153, 156 (D.D.C.2012) (providing factual and procedural history of case).
The Court originally granted State‘s Motion to Dismiss for failure to state a claim pursuant to
In light of the Supreme Court‘s subsequent decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 550 U.S. 618, 127 S.Ct. 2162, 167 L.Ed.2d 982 (2007)—which brought the D.C. Circuit‘s analysis into question—this Court granted State‘s Motion for Summary Judgment. Shea v. Rice, 587 F.Supp.2d 166 (D.D.C.2008). While this case was again on appeal, Congress passed the
On July 23, 2010 the plaintiff moved to hold discovery deadlines in abeyance until resolution of his latest motions for reconsideration. ECF No. 86. In response, the Court stayed the entire matter until an April 6, 2011 status conference. Minute Order, Mar. 9, 2011. At that conference, the Court orally extended this stay. The stay remained in effect until the Court resolved plaintiff‘s motions for reconsideration and motion for application of judicial estoppel. See Mem. Op. & Order Denying Pl.‘s Mots. Reconsideration, Mar. 23, 2012, ECF Nos. 113 & 114; Mem. & Order Denying Pl.‘s Mot. Judicial Estoppel, July 30, 2012, ECF No. 118.
On August 17, 2012, State filed a second Motion for Summary Judgment, ECF No. 120, raising the affirmative defense of mitigation of damages, id. at 34-36. Plaintiff objected to State first raising this affirmative defense in a dispositive motion, rather than in a pleading. Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s Second Mot. Summ. J. 34, Aug. 30, 2012, ECF No. 123. In response, the defendant submitted the present Motion to Amend Answer to add the affirmative defenses of laches and mitiga-
II. LEGAL STANDARD
Under
One of the “most important factor[s]” to consider when determining whether to grant leave to amend is “the possibility of prejudice to the opposing party.” Djourabchi v. Self, 240 F.R.D. 5, 13 (D.D.C.2006); see also Zenith Radio Corp. v. Hazeltine Research, Inc., 401 U.S. 321, 330-31, 91 S.Ct. 795, 28 L.Ed.2d 77 (1971) (“[I]n deciding whether to permit such an amendment, the trial court was required to take into account any prejudice that [opposing party] would have suffered as a result.“). Courts should also consider “the length of delay between the latest pleading and the amendment sought” and whether the amendment “would unduly increase discovery or delay the trial.” Djourabchi, 240 F.R.D. at 13 (citing WRIGHT, MILLER & KANE, FEDERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE §§ 1487-88 (2012)).
III. DISCUSSION
The defendant seeks leave to amend its Answer to plaintiff‘s Complaint to include the affirmative defenses of laches and failure to mitigate damages. Def.‘s Mot. Am. 1. Courts liberally interpret Rule 15(a) to allow amendment unless doing so would not be in the interest of justice. See, e.g., Firestone, 76 F.3d at 1208 (Rule 15(a) provides “liberal standard for granting leave to amend“); Atchinson, 73 F.3d at 425-26 (district court should grant leave absent some “‘apparent or declared reason’ “) (quoting Foman, 371 U.S. at 182). Unlike when a party asks to change a scheduling order, the party seeking to amend its complaint does not have the burden to demonstrate that “good cause exists” for the amendment. Cf. Barnes v. Dist. of Columbia, 289 F.R.D. 1, 1-2 (D.D.C.2012). Instead, courts generally put the burden on the party opposing amendment to show that there is a reason to deny leave. See In re Vitamins Antitrust Litigation, 217 F.R.D. 30, 32 (D.D.C.2003) (“In essence, to show prejudice, the non-movant must show unfairness in procedure or timing preventing the non-movant from properly responding.“); Dooley v. United Technologies Corp., 152 F.R.D. 419, 425 (D.D.C.1993) (The “opposing party must show that it was unfairly disadvantaged or deprived of the opportunity to present facts or evidence which it would have offered had the amendments been timely.“) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).
A recent opinion by this Court—relied on heavily by the plaintiff—demonstrates how an opposing party can meet this burden. N. Am. Catholic Educ. Programming Found., Inc. v. Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice, PLLC (“NACEPF“), 887 F.Supp.2d 78, 83 Fed. R. Serv.3d 625 (D.D.C. Aug. 24, 2012) (discussed in Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s Mot. Am. 1-2, 16-19). However, the facts in present
A. Amendment to Include Affirmative Defense of Laches
Defendant requests leave to amend its Answer to include an affirmative defense of laches.
In a previous summary judgment motion, the defendant raised the affirmative defense of laches. Def.‘s First Mot. Summ. J. 9, Apr. 25, 2008, ECF No. 46.1 In his Opposition, the plaintiff substantively responded to the merits of this argument. Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s First Mot. Summ. J. 31-33, May 25, 2008, ECF No. 52. At that time, the plaintiff did not raise a technical objection to the laches defense; he did not argue that defendant‘s laches defense was defective because it was not included in the defendant‘s Answer. Id.
Whether or not there has been a formal “waiver” of plaintiff‘s Rule 8 objection, State should be allowed to cure any Rule 8 defect by amending its Answer. The fact that State had previously raised a laches defense, and the plaintiff responded substantively, indicates that there is no “bad faith or dilatory motive” in amending the Answer. The defendant is not springing completely new theories on plaintiff on the eve of trial, or making “significant eleventh hour changes[.]” NACEPF, 887 F.Supp.2d at 89. Instead, defendant seeks to formally add to its Answer an affirmative defense it previously asserted. The defendant put the plaintiff on notice, at least by 2008, of a laches defense. The plaintiff, having known about this defense for years, would not be unduly prejudiced if defendant amended its Answer. Since defendant raised laches years ago, amending the Answer would not cause undue delay.
The plaintiff claims that the defendant is trying to resubmit a previously rejected laches defense. Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s Mot. Am. 5-6. The plaintiff points to the Court‘s denial of the defendant‘s first Motion for Summary Judgment, which discussed laches. Mem. Order 3-4, ECF No. 69. Presumably, plaintiff argues that adding a laches defense would be futile; or that since the Court previously rejected defendant‘s laches defense, the plaintiff was not “on notice” that defendant would assert it again. When a court decides that a party is not entitled to summary judgment because of insufficient evidence, it does not preclude that party from making that claim again. See Ortiz v. Jordan, — U.S. —, 131 S.Ct. 884, 889, 178 L.Ed.2d 703 (2011) (because factual record “developed in court supersedes the record existing at the time of the summary judgment motion,” denial of summary judgment does not have preclusive effect on subsequent proceedings and all defenses may be raised later, including at trial); Switzerland Cheese Ass‘n, Inc. v. E. Horne‘s Market, Inc., 385 U.S. 23, 26, 87 S.Ct. 193, 17 L.Ed.2d 23 (1966) (“[T]he denial of a motion for summary judgment because unresolved issues of fact does not settle or even tentatively decide anything about the merits of the claim. It is strictly a pretrial order that decides only one thing—that the case should go to trial.“). When the Court stated that “[g]eneralized assertions of difficulty and two examples of lost or missing data ... will not sustain a laches defense,” Mem. Order 4, ECF No. 69,
Plaintiff claims that allowing amendment to add a laches defense would unduly delay trial and prejudice the plaintiff. The plaintiff has not specifically indicated what additional discovery would be required on this matter. He claims that he would be prejudiced because now he would have to “get serious about laches.” Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s Mot. Am. 12. This level of prejudice does not overcome Rule 15(a)‘s mandate to freely allow amendment.
B. Amendment to Include Affirmative Defense of Failure to Mitigate Damages
The defendant also seeks leave to amend its Answer to include an affirmative defense of failure to mitigate damages. State claims that “information regarding Plaintiff‘s failure to apply for a mid-level position in the race-neutral Mid-Level Foreign Service Career Candidate Program did not become known to the Defendant until very recently[.]” Def.‘s Mot. Am. 5. With this new discovery, defendant seeks leave to include this affirmative defense.
Shea emphasizes that this amendment comes ten years after the filing of this suit, and roughly two decades after the events giving rise to the defense. By raising mitigation now, plaintiff claims, State exhibits a dilatory motive and would cause undue delay and prejudice. Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s Mot. Am. 4-5, 17-19. Focusing on how long this case has been pending is not as helpful here. The plaintiff filed this case over a decade ago, but neither party can be “blamed” for some of the case‘s lengthier delays. When Shea first filed his complaint, State moved to dismiss, in part, because the statute of limitations had run. Def.‘s Mot. Dismiss 10-11, Jan. 21, 2003, ECF No. 11. The Court agreed that the case was time-barred, and granted State‘s motion. Order, Sept. 30, 2003, ECF No. 15; Mem., Oct. 31, 2003, ECF No. 16. The D.C. Circuit disagreed, and remanded the case for further proceedings. Shea, 409 F.3d at 453.
While on remand, the case was again interrupted, this time by the Supreme Court‘s Ledbetter decision. 550 U.S. 618. In the wake of Ledbetter, the Court denied State‘s motion for judgment on the pleadings, and directed State to submit a summary judgment motion after further developing the factual record on whether “the case is within the rule announced in Bazemore v. Friday, 478 U.S. 385, 106 S.Ct. 3000, 92 L.Ed.2d 315 (1986), which the Supreme Court has appeared to preserve as an exception to the Ledbetter rule.” Order, Aug. 30, 2007, ECF No. 43. The Court then granted State‘s summary judgment motion, finding that Ledbetter applied to Shea‘s claims. Shea, 587 F.Supp.2d 166. Shea appealed, and while the appeal was pending, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. With the District Court‘s opinion again abrogated, discovery on all matters finally restarted on September 22, 2009.
Plaintiff characterizes State‘s early focus on its statute of limitations argument as a “strategic choice[]” that it has to “live with.” Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s Mot. Am. 3. It turns out the Supreme Court vindicated this strategic choice. Ledbetter, 550 U.S. at 636-37. Only after Congress abrogated the Supreme Court‘s ruling did Shea‘s claims have new life.
Furthermore, on July 23, 2010 the plaintiff moved to hold discovery due dates in abeyance until resolution of his motions for reconsideration. ECF No. 86. In response, the Court stayed the entire matter until April 6, 2011. Minute Order, Mar. 9, 2011. The Court orally extended this stay at the April 6 status conference. The Court allowed briefing to continue on Shea‘s motions for reconsideration and application of judicial estoppel, but discovery deadlines remained in abeyance. Only after the Court denied plaintiff‘s motions—on July 30, 2012—did the Court lift the stay and set a schedule for completing dispositive motions. See Mem. Op. & Order Denying Pl.‘s Mots. Reconsideration; Mem. & Order Denying Pl.‘s Mot. Judicial Estoppel. State is also not responsible for these “delays.” It is easy to say, “This case has gone on for ten years, why didn‘t State discover its mitigation defense sooner?” But that would ignore why this case has dragged on for a decade. Some of it was attributable to Ledbetter, some to an abeyance requested by the plaintiff (and stays imposed by the Court).
Shea claims that he would be prejudiced if State amended its Answer. Pl.‘s Opp‘n to Def.‘s Mot. Am. 10-15. “To show prejudice, the non-movant must show unfairness in procedure or timing preventing the non-movant from properly responding[.]” In re Vitamins, 217 F.R.D. at 32. The plaintiff does not explain why—in addition to raising technical objections to State‘s mitigation defense—he could not have responded substantively when opposing State‘s latest motion for summary judgment. The plaintiff does not specify what additional discovery he needs to respond properly to State‘s mitigation defense.
The plaintiff also does not make clear why the Court needs to disallow amendment in order to avoid prejudice. State raises the mitigation issue in its latest summary judgment motion. Def.‘s Second Mot. Summ. J. 34-36. Rule 56(d) provides:
If a nonmovant shows by affidavit or declaration that, for specified reasons, it cannot present facts essential to justify its opposition, the court may:
(1) Defer considering the motion or deny it;
(2) allow time to obtain affidavits or declarations or to take discovery; or
(3) issue any other appropriate order.
This matter is not sufficiently similar to the facts in NACEPF to demand a similar result. In NACEPF, the plaintiff asked to amend its complaint less than six weeks before trial was set to begin. See Pl.‘s Mot. Am., July 31, 2012, No. 09-cv-1167, ECF No. 62. The request came after the Court had decided summary judgment. The only option available to the Court was to delay the trial. NACEPF, 887 F.Supp.2d at 85-86. In this case, no trial date has been set. While both parties deserve a speedy resolution, changing a trial date burdens the parties and Court far more than staying consideration of summary judgment pending additional discovery (if that additional discovery were warranted). The plaintiff in NACEPF “could have included [its] allegations earlier” and did not “justif[y] [its] delay,” thus “demonstrat[ing] a
V. CONCLUSION
Courts should freely grant leave to amend when justice so requires.
Other than making general statements that he would be prejudiced and need additional discovery, the plaintiff has not specified how allowing amendment would cause undue prejudice. The plaintiff‘s emphasis on the time between the Answer and amendment is misplaced because much of that “delay” is attributable to disputes over how to calculate limitations periods under Title VII, and to discovery stays requested by the plaintiff and imposed by this Court.
By allowing defendant to amend its Answer, the Court will consider the mitigation of damages defense State raises in its latest summary judgment motion. Def.‘s Second Mot. Summ. J. 34-36. The Court will give the plaintiff the opportunity to either substantively respond to this mitigation defense, or explain why it cannot do so at this time.
For the reasons stated above, the Court will grant the defendant‘s Motion to Amend Answer to add the affirmative defenses of laches and mitigation of damages.
A separate Order consistent with this Memorandum Opinion shall issue this date.
ROYCE C. LAMBERTH
Chief Judge, United States District Court
Walter RAPOSO, Joseph Mingolla, Plaintiffs, v. GARELICK FARMS, LLC, Defendant.
Civil Case No. 11-11943-NMG.
United States District Court, D. Massachusetts.
Nov. 1, 2012.