Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-2_04-cv-02189/USCOURTS-arwd-2_04-cv-02189-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1343 Violation of Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTTTICT OF ARKANSAS

tr,ORT SMITII DIVISION

DIANA PAIt.IE

vs.

PLAINTIFF

CASE NO. 04-2189

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARI{ANSAS T'ORT SMITH

BY AND THROUGII THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OF THE TINIVIRSITY OF ARKANSAS DEFDNDANT

REPORTANDRECOW

JUDqE BJYEBLY STITE$IISNEE

On this 30rh day of August, 2006, appears before the court, Charles Kester,

attoffioy for Plaintiff, Diana Payne, Flaintiff and S Waltott Mauras, attoruey for

Defendant. The partios appears before the court pursuanto tlre Order of August 21,

2006, issued the Honoruble Robert T. Dawson, Uflited States District Judge, dilecting

the parties to appear bofore this dourt at 2:00 p.m. on Werlnesday, August 30' 2006' ttr

discuss the issues in this case, including front"pay, reinstatement, attorney's fees and

costs. Frc the Btatements ofcounsel and other matters and things boforo tlre court, the

cdu finds as fbllows:

l. Mr. Kester, attolney for Plaintiff, adviscd this coult that tlre jury in the

captionod mf,ttef returned a vordict in fevor ofthe Plaintiff on August 18, 2006, in the

amount ol $161,803.40 on het' claim for damages in connection with hor wrongftrl

discharge as a result of retaliation by tlre Defendant. Mr' Kester further adviscd tlto

court that tlre Plaintiff seeks r$instatement to her former position as instructor in the

Defendant's College of Business, teaching accounting Iand II and other appropriate

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courses. Mr'. Kostor thon presented his argumenthat puttuant to precedent established

by the 8'rr Circuit Court 0f Appef,ls, reinstatement undet these circumstances is the

appropriate equitable rernody. Upon questioning by the court, Mr. Maurras agrees that

absent cxtla-ordinary oircumstance6 the I'h Circuit Court of Appeals ptecedent

establishos that rein$tdternent is the apprcpriato r'omedy.. Mr. Maurras further advised

thE court that the Defondant could articulate no extra-ordinary circumsHnces that would

nrske reinstateme tiDappropliato in this case.

Mr. Kester then advised the court that he had iucurrod rcimbursable oosts

in connection the prosecution ofthe PlaintifJ's oaso in tho amount of$18,409.63. Upon

questioning by the oourt" Mr. Maurras Etated that he had examined the detsil of suoh

costs and could Dot stat6 that any of tbe amorrnts claimed were ullrcasonable'

3. Mr. Kester tlren advised the court that he had cxpendod 464 and % hours

in the proparation and ttial of this matter and claimed an hourly tate for such work of

$175.00 per hour" Mr. Kostorfurtlrer advised the court that he had uscd the setvices of

tlrree associates to assist hirn in the preparation and trial of the captionod mattor for an

atlditional total of 76 hours for whiclr he believed an hourly ratc of $125'00 was

appropriate. The total fees olaimed by Mr. Kester for the legal setvioes rondered in

col lection witlr this matter wete 590,787.50. Upon questioling by the oourt, Mr'

Meurras stated that he believed the hourly tatos were reasonable but because Plaintiff

lrad prcvailed on only one of multiple olaims the total fee of $90,787 50 should be

reduced in accordauoo with the 8"' Circ it precodonto reflect the degree of success

when corrsidering tho case aB a whole. Following Mr. Maurras' stateffient' Mr' Koster

advised the court that he agreed that 8r[ Circuit preoed$nt reflected that the degree of

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suocess mu6t be takon into consideration by the trial cdufl in establishing and awarding

attorney's fees to tlre prevailing party. Mr. Kester thefl stated iu opsn cour"t that the

Plaintiff would teduoo her claim for attorney's fees by 25% to the sum $68'090.25'

Upon questioning by tho court, Mr" Maurras stated that he could not argue tlrEt a gteater

discount would be aPProPriate'

4. Mr. Maurras then requosted on behalf of tho University that if the court

should decide to include reinstatement as part of the equitable relief, in viow of tlre fact

that classes have already started for the fall 2006 Seme$ter, that the University not be

required to imrtediately place Ms. Payne back in a classroom setting; but rtrther it be

permitted to provide her with a mutually agreeablo spocial aasignmont whiclr would not

require olassroom partioipEtion by Ms. Payno through thc end of tlie fall 2006 semestef,

He fu$her roquested that the order of the court not lequire the University to plhce Ms

Payne in a classttom setting priot to thc colnmolcernent of the spring semestet in

January 2007. Upon questioning by the court, Mr. Kestor stated that the Plaintiff had

no objection to tho request by the UniverSity. Mr. Koster further requested that the

order ofthe coutt roquire that Ms. Payre be paid comrnoncing as of 19 August' 2006, at

a rate and with benelits in place as if she had not been discharged by the university on

January 3,2005. Mr. Maunas did not obiect to such a request' Mr- Koster fuflher

requesred that a web-site dated November 23,2004, maintaiued by the university

reporting the {inding of guilty of plagiarisrn of Ms. Payne be removed from the

University weh-site and that Ms. Palte's personnel file be oxpunged of doouments

relBting to her tennination of January 3, 2005 and the basis therefore. Mr" Maurras did

not object to these rcquests.

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It Is Therefore The Report And Recommendation of this court to the

Honorable Robert T. Dawson, Unitsd States District Judge, that final judgment in the

captioned matter be entered in th$ aftount of $161,80.3.40 in favor of Plaintiff in

oonnection with het clainr for damages through l8 August, 2006, for wrongful

discharge fls a resfllt of thc retaliation by the Defendant, in accordance with the jury

vordict on Answers to lrteflogatories rcndored Ofl August 18, 2006; that tllo court snter

its injuflction requiring tlre Defendanto reinstate Plaintiffto her fonner positiott as an

instructor in the Defendant's collego of Business teaching accounting I a d II and other

appropriate courses, effective August 19, 2006, with pay and benefits as of such dale itr

tho amount she worrkl havo been paid had she not been discharged on January 3, 2005;

rhat tho court enter judgment in favor of the Plaintiff in the amount of $18,409.63 for

reirnbursable costs; tlrat the ooult enter judgffiellt in favor of the Plai tiff as prevailing

party for attorney's fess in the amourt 0f $68,090.25; that the order of the coult for the

Defendanto rci stato Plaintiff provide thflt coffimencing with the entry of the court's

order through tho donclusion of the fell 2006 somester, the Dofendant is not requilod to

place Plaintiff in a classroom settiflg but rather may provide Plaintiff with a firutually

flgleeablc 6pedi6l assig ment; that the court's order direct the Defenda t to placc tbo

Ptaintiff in a classroom $etting as an instructol teaohing accounting I and II and other

appropriate courses in the Dofo[dant's college of Businoss commcncing with the

beginning ofthe spring 2007 semester; that the Defendant be required to remove from

its web-sito a repolt dated November 23, 2004, reporting tho finding of plagiarism

agaiflst Ms. Payne and to expunge from her poruOnnel file documents rElati g to hcr

terminarion of January 3, 2005 and the basis thercfore promptly upon the ently of the

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court's order; thdt payment of tlle monctaty portion of the court's,judgmeflt be made by

check payable to Dia$a Pa1'ne and Charles Kester, jointly, in the amount of

$248.303.28.

Ir IS SO REPoRTED AND REC0MMENDED rgIS 5 t a"y or

Septernher, ?006.

U. S, DISTR|CT COUHT

w Es TE H N n :sT BlcJ ARI(ANSAS

I"ILLU

sEP05zffi

CHRIS R.JSIHSOT{, CLERK

;Y

DEPUTY CLEBK

Magistrate Jtdge

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