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Silva v. Goodwill Industries, 10th Cir. (2000)
Silva v. Goodwill Industries, 10th Cir. (2000)
APR 7 2000
PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
KURT D. SILVA,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF NEW
MEXICO, INC.,
No. 99-2125
(D.C. No. CIV-98-197-JP/WWD)
(D. N.M.)
Defendant-Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court
generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order
and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
Exercising
See Richmond v.
ONEOK, Inc. , 120 F.3d 205, 208 (10th Cir. 1997). Summary judgment is
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination
of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is
therefore ordered submitted without oral argument.
Silva also made claims of breach of implied contract and hostile work
environment sexual harassment. The court dismissed the contract claim without
prejudice to permit Silva to seek relief in the state court system and dismissed the
harassment claim for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Silva has not
appealed those rulings.
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Id. (quoting
Rule 56(c)). We construe the factual record and reasonable inferences therefrom
in the light most favorable to the nonmovant.
Id.
See Perry v. Woodward , 199 F.3d 1126, 1135 (10th Cir. 1999),
filed (U.S. Mar. 16, 2000) (No. 99-1527). Under the
McDonnell Douglas
framework, the plaintiff bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie
case, which raises a rebuttable presumption of unlawful discrimination.
See id.
Generally, there is a logical connection between each element of the prima facie
case and the inference of discrimination.
Id. at 1136.
On appeal, Silva asserts that the district court erred in determining that his
evidence failed to establish a prima facie case of discriminatory discharge.
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Normally, a prima facie case includes a showing that: (1) the plaintiff belongs to
a protected class; (2) the plaintiff was qualified for the job; (3) despite [his]
qualifications, [he] was discharged; and (4) the job was not eliminated after [his]
discharge. Id. at 1135; see also id. at 1136-40 (discussing the fourth prong of
the test in detail). For a reverse discrimination claim like Silvas, however, the
first prong is modified to require a showing of background circumstances that
support an inference that [Goodwill] is one of those unusual employers who
discriminates against the majority, or a historically or socially favored group.
Notari v. Denver Water Dept , 971 F.2d 585, 588, 589 (10th Cir. 1992).
After conducting a thorough analysis of the materials submitted by the
parties, the district court determined that Silva did not establish his prima facie
case. Accordingly, the district court granted Goodwills motion for summary
judgment. On appeal, Silva takes issue with the first element of the prima facie
case applicable to reverse discrimination plaintiffs. He argues that it is
inequitable and therefore unlawful to have different prima facie sex
discrimination cases for men and women, and that men should not have a greater
burden of proof than women and be required to produce evidence that raises the
suspicion that an employer discriminates against men. (Appellants Br. at 1). In
essence, he asserts that we should ignore our precedent in
adopt the reasoning and analysis of the federal district court in
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Dist. of Kansas City , 727 F. Supp. 1318 (W.D. Mo. 1990). We decline to revisit
the issue.
See In re Smith , 10 F.3d 723, 724 (10th Cir. 1993) (We are bound by
discretion. Mitchael v. Intracorp, Inc ., 179 F.3d 847, 8854 (10th Cir. 1999)
(quoting Sports Racing Servs., Inc. v. Sports Car Club of Am., Inc.
894 (10th Cir. 1997). Under that standard, a trial courts decision will not be
disturbed unless the appellate court has a definite and firm conviction that the
lower court made a clear error of judgment or exceeded the bounds of permissible
choice in the circumstances.
(10th Cir.1986)).
To be admissible, [s]ummaries must be accurate and nonprejudicial.
Daniel v. Ben E. Keith Co. , 97 F.3d 1329, 1335 (10th Cir. 1996). Exhibit 39 does
not establish the applicants gender (other than by the unidentified scriveners
speculation based on first names), qualifications, prospective jobs, or whether the
applicants were offered jobs and turned down the offers. Thus, Exhibit 39 does
not provide accurate, or even meaningful, information. We find no abuse of
discretion in the district courts ruling. Moreover, we have reviewed the record
and conclude that, even if the content of this exhibit had been admitted, the
totality of Silvas evidence does not demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact
as to background circumstances of discrimination.
Silva also asserts the court erred in two other ways: Specifically, he argues
that the court erred in (1) requiring him to show, as part of his prima facie case,
(continued...)
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The district court properly evaluated the evidence submitted by the parties
and determined that Silva failed to meet the prima facie case applicable to reverse
discrimination claims. The entry of summary judgment on Silvas Title VII claim
is AFFIRMED.
Carlos F. Lucero
Circuit Judge
(...continued)
that he was similarly situated to female employees who received more favorable
treatment; and (2) failing to recognize the existence of a disputed issue of
material fact as to whether or not his female supervisor participated in the
decision to terminate his employment. Because Silva did not meet the first prong
of the requisite prima facie case, we do not address his attacks on these other
aspects of the district courts rulings.
See Griffin v. Davies , 929 F.2d 550, 554
(10th Cir. 1991) (We will not undertake to decide issues that do not affect the
outcome of a dispute.) (citing Manning v. Upjohn Co. , 862 F.2d 545, 547 (5th
Cir. 1989)).
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