Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-03777/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-03777-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 42:2000e Job Discrimination (Employment)

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BRIAN F. ROGERS,

Plaintiff,

v.

ROBERT HALF INTERNATIONAL, INC., 

et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 17-cv-3777-PJH 

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO 

DISMISS, AND GRANTING MOTION 

TO STAY

Defendant’s motion for an order dismissing the complaint in the above-entitled 

case pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim, and 

alternative motion to stay the case, came on for hearing before this court on October 25, 

2017. Plaintiff Brian F. Rogers appeared in propria persona, and defendant Robert Half 

International (“RHI”) appeared by its counsel Traci Bernard-Marks. Having read the 

parties’ papers and carefully considered their arguments and the relevant legal authority, 

the court hereby DENIES the motion to dismiss and GRANTS the motion to stay, as 

follows and for the reasons stated at the hearing.

BACKGROUND

RHI is a temporary employment agency that specializes in placing employees in 

accounting and related positions. Plaintiff alleges that in November 2015, he applied for 

a job with RHI, went in for an interview, but was not hired. 

Plaintiff filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission (“EEOC”) concurrently with the California Department of Fair Employment 

and Housing (“DFEH”), and on February 26, 2016, DFEH issued a Right-to-Sue notice. 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 1 of 13
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

See Def’s RJN, Exh. 1, ¶ 23. On May 6, 2016, plaintiff filed a complaint in the Superior 

Court of California, County of San Francisco, against RHI and Accountemps, a division of 

RHI (S.F. Sup. Ct. Case No. CGC 16-551854). See id. 

Plaintiff filed a first amended complaint ("FAC") on September 8, 2016, and filed a 

second amended complaint ("SAC") on September 9, 2016. See id., Exhs. 2 & 3. The

SAC asserted four causes of action – claims under FEHA for discrimination based on 

race and age, and for failure to take reasonable steps to prevent discrimination, and a 

state-law claim of discrimination in violation of public policy. Id., Exh. 3 ¶¶ 24-44. 

The parties conducted discovery, including depositions, and engaged in motion 

practice. On January 31, 2017, RHI moved for summary judgment, arguing that plaintiff 

could not establish a prima facie case of discrimination because he had no evidence 

showing he was qualified for the position he sought, and because RHI had a legitimate, 

non-discriminatory reason for not hiring him. The court granted the motion on April 21, 

2017, finding no evidence of animus based on race or age. See Def's RJN, Exh. 5. The 

court found that plaintiff's "failure to provide[ ] requested references and an updated 

resume is the reason why RHI did not consider [plaintiff] for a position." Id. 

On May 11, 2017, before entry of judgment, plaintiff appealed the state court's 

decision to the California Court of Appeal, First District. (Cal. App. 1 Dist., Case No. 

A151655). See Def's RJN Exh. 8. A May 17, 2017, entry on the Superior Court's docket 

states that the case was ordered removed from the Master Court Calendar and assigned 

to the Case Management Department, with a case management conference set for 

August 16, 2017, “for judgment after order granting [RHI's] motion for summary 

judgment[.]” On July 31, 2017, the court continued the case management conference to 

December 2017, for status of notice of appeal. 

Meanwhile on April 19, 2017, the EEOC issued a Right-to-Sue notice, stating that 

"[b]ased upon its investigation, [it] was unable to conclude that the information obtained 

establishes violations of the statutes." Pltf’s RJN, Exh. 5. Plaintiff filed the complaint in 

the present action on June 30, 2017, asserting a single cause of action under 42 U.S.C. 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 2 of 13
3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

§ 1983, for racial discrimination in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United 

States Constitution. 

The present complaint repeats almost verbatim the factual allegations in the state 

court SAC. The primary difference between the two is that the present complaint asserts 

a claim under § 1983 (although the “Introduction” states that the action “is brought 

pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for employment discrimination[,]” while 

the state court SAC asserted only state-law claims. 

DISCUSSION

A. Legal Standards

1. Motions to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim

A motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6) tests for the legal sufficiency of the claims 

alleged in the complaint. Ileto v. Glock, 349 F.3d 1191, 1199-1200 (9th Cir. 2003). A 

complaint may be dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6) if the plaintiff fails to state a cognizable 

legal theory, or has not alleged sufficient facts to support a cognizable legal theory. 

Somers v. Apple, Inc., 729 F.3d 953, 959 (9th Cir. 2013). While the court is to accept as 

true all the factual allegations in the complaint, legally conclusory statements, not 

supported by actual factual allegations, need not be accepted. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 

U.S. 662, 678-79 (2009); see also In re Gilead Scis. Secs. Litig., 536 F.3d 1049, 1055 

(9th Cir. 2008). 

The complaint must proffer sufficient facts to state a claim for relief that is plausible 

on its face. Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 558-59 (2007) (citations and 

quotations omitted). A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual 

content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable 

for the misconduct alleged." Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678 (citation omitted). "[W]here the wellpleaded facts do not permit the court to infer more than the mere possibility of 

misconduct, the complaint has alleged – but it has not 'show[n]' – 'that the pleader is 

entitled to relief.'" Id. at 679. 

Review is generally limited to the contents of the complaint, although the court can 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 3 of 13
4

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

also consider a document on which the complaint relies if the document is central to the 

claims asserted in the complaint, and no party questions the authenticity of the 

document. See Sanders v. Brown, 504 F.3d 903, 910 (9th Cir. 2007). The court may 

consider matters that are properly the subject of judicial notice, Knievel v. ESPN, 393 

F.3d 1068, 1076 (9th Cir. 2005), and may also consider exhibits attached to the 

complaint, see Hal Roach Studios, Inc. v. Richard Feiner & Co., Inc., 896 F.2d 1542, 

1555 n.19 (9th Cir. 1989), and documents referenced extensively in the complaint or that 

form the basis of a the plaintiff's claims, see No. 84 Emp'r-Teamster Jt. Counsel Pension 

Tr. Fund v. Am. W. Holding Corp., 320 F.3d 920, 925 n.2 (9th Cir. 2003).

Finally, while res judicata and collateral estoppel are affirmative defenses, it is 

appropriate for a defendant to assert those defenses in a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, when 

they raise no disputed issues of fact. See Scott v. Kuhlmann, 746 F.2d 1377, 1378 (9th 

Cir.1984) (affirming the district court's dismissal of complaint pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) on 

res judicata grounds); see also Goldberg v. Cameron, 694 Fed. Appx. 564, 565-66 (9th

Cir. 2017); Asarco, LLC v. Union Pac. R.R. Co. ̧765 F.3d 999, 1004 (9th Cir. 2014).

2. Motions to Stay

A court has broad discretion to stay proceedings pursuant to its inherent authority. 

“[T]he power to stay proceedings is incidental to the power inherent in every court to 

control the disposition of the causes on its docket with economy of time and effort for 

itself, for counsel, and for litigant.” Landis v. N. Am. Co., 299 U.S. 248, 254 (1936); see 

also Leyva v. Certified Grocers of Cal., 593 F.2d 857, 863–64 (9th Cir. 1979). “The 

proponent of a stay bears the burden of establishing its need.” Clinton v. Jones, 520 U.S. 

681, 708 (1997).

In determining whether to stay proceedings, the court should weigh the competing 

interests that will be affected by a stay, including the possible hardships and damage that 

will result to parties from granting a stay or forcing parties to go forward, and “the orderly 

course of justice measured in terms of the simplifying or complicating of issues, proof, 

and questions of law which could be expected to result from a stay.” CMAX, Inc. v. Hall, 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 4 of 13
5

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

300 F.2d 265, 268 (9th Cir. 1962), quoted in Lockyer v. Mirant Corp., 398 F.3d 1098, 

1110 (9th Cir. 2005). Judicial economy, standing alone, is generally not a sufficient 

reason to stay proceedings. Dependable Highway Exp., Inc. v. Navigators Ins. Co., 498 

F.3d 1059, 1066 (9th Cir. 2007) (citing Mirant, 398 F.3d at 1112). 

B. Defendant’s Motion

RHI seeks an order dismissing the case on the basis that the action is barred by 

collateral estoppel. Alternatively, RHI asserts that the court should stay the case to allow 

the state court appeal to go forward, arguing that even if this court concludes that 

collateral estoppel does not apply, res judicata will bar the action once the state court 

appeal is complete.

State court judgments are entitled to "full faith and credit" in federal court. See 28 

U.S.C. § 1738. Full faith and credit "requires that federal courts give the state court's 

resolution of the res judicata issue the same preclusive effect that it would have had in 

another court of the same state." Parsons Steel, Inc. v. First Ala. Bank, 474 U.S. 518, 

525 (1986); In re Marciano, 708 F.3d 1123, 1133 (9th Cir. 2013). This doctrine applies to 

issue preclusion (collateral estoppel) and claim preclusion (res judicata). Matsushita 

Elec. Indus. Co. v. Epstein, 516 U.S. 367, 374 (1996); Dodd v. Hood River Cnty., 136 

F.3d 1219,1225 (9th Cir. 1998). Whether a prior state court judgment precludes litigation 

of claims or defenses raised in a later federal action is determined by reference to state 

law. Matsushita, 516 U.S. at 374. 

In California, "res judicata" is used generally to refer to both claim preclusion and 

issue preclusion. See DKN Holdings LLC v. Faerber, 61 Cal. 4th 813, 824 (2015) (the 

doctrine of res judicata has two aspects – claim preclusion and issue preclusion). 

However, "[i]t is important to distinguish these two types of preclusion because they have 

different requirements" and effects. Id. at 823-24.

RHI argues that this case is barred by collateral estoppel because the issue of 

discrimination was finally decided in the state court proceeding. Under California law, 

collateral estoppel prohibits the re-litigation of issues decided in a prior proceeding if 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 5 of 13
6

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

(1) the issue is identical to the one decided in a prior proceeding; (2) the issue was 

actually litigated in the prior proceeding; (3) the issue was necessarily decided in the prior 

proceeding; (4) the decision in the prior proceeding was final and on the merits; and 

(5) the party against whom preclusion is sought is the same or is in privity with the party 

from the prior proceeding. Lucido v. Sup. Ct., 51 Cal. 3d 335, 342 (1990). The party 

asserting collateral estoppel has the burden of establishing these requirements. Id. The 

bar applies if the cause of action could have been brought, whether or not it was actually 

asserted or decided in the first lawsuit. See Samara v. Matar, 8 Cal. App. 5th 796, 803 

(2017). 

Here, RHI argues, the state court’s decision satisfies the above requirements and 

therefore the present action is barred. RHI contends that the parties in the two actions 

are the same, and plaintiff relies on the same set of facts for the present complaint as he 

did for the state court complaint, and addresses an identical underlying issue in both: 

whether RHI discriminated against him on the basis of race by not hiring him. 

RHI contends that the other elements of collateral estoppel are also present. RHI 

asserts that the issue was actually litigated, as it was raised by the pleadings and 

determined by the court; that the state court’s determination that plaintiff did not present 

any evidence of racist animus by RHI necessitated the entry of summary judgment in 

favor of RHI on plaintiff's race discrimination claim; and that the summary judgment 

decision is considered a final and conclusive determination of the merits. 

As an alternative to dismissal, RHI asserts, the present action should be stayed, or 

dismissed without prejudice, pending resolution of the state court appeal, since the 

doctrine of res judicata will bar this action once the appeal is decided. RHI contends that 

this matter is appropriate for a stay pursuant to the court's inherent authority.

Under California law, res judicata, also known as claim preclusion, prohibits a 

second lawsuit involving the (1) same controversy (2) between the same parties or their 

privies (3) so long as the prior lawsuit was a final judgment on the merits. Mycogen Corp. 

v. Monsanto Co., 28 Cal.4th 888, 896-97 (2002).

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 6 of 13
7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

Here, RHI asserts, the elements of res judicata are met, precluding plaintiff’s 

§ 1983 suit. First, RHI argues, the complaint in the state action and the complaint in the 

present case involve the same controversy under California law – the right to be free of 

invidious employment discrimination. See Acuna v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal., 56 Cal. 

App. 4th 639, 649 (1997). 

In California, “primary rights theory” is used to determine whether the controversy 

in question is the same for res judicata purposes. See Mycogen, 28 Cal. 4th at 904

(citing Crowley v. Katleman, 8 Cal. 4th 666, 681-82 (1994)). “[I]f two actions involve the 

same injury to the plaintiff and the same wrong by the same defendant then the same 

primary right is at stake.” Eichman v. Footmat Corp., 147 Cal. App. 3d 1170, 1174 

(1983). RHI argues that the primary right at stake here is the same as in the state action 

– an individual’s right to be free from harm resulting from employment discrimination –

and that the controversy is thus the same.

Second, RHI contends, the parties to both suits are the same, with Rogers as the 

only plaintiff and RHI as the only true defendant. RHI argues that Accountemps is a 

division of RHI, not a separate legal entity subject to suit.1

Third, RHI asserts, the state court’s decision is considered a “final judgment” on 

the merits under California law. RHI points to the court’s statement “[d]efendant is 

entitled to summary judgment pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 437c” because 

plaintiff “[did] not present[] any evidence of racial . . . animus by RHI.” See Def's RJN, 

Exh. 5, at 2. 

Additionally, RHI notes, at the time plaintiff filed the state action he had the 

opportunity to bring a § 1983 claim as well, which he failed to do. RHI asserts that while 

plaintiff did not raise a § 1983 claim in the state proceeding, the doctrine of res judicata 

applies not only to those claims actually litigated in the first action but also to those which 

 

1

 Accountemps is named as a defendant in this action, but has not entered an 

appearance. The court interprets RHI’s reference to Accountemps as “a division of RHI, 

not a separate legal entity subject to suit” as a request for dismissal.

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 7 of 13
8

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

might have been litigated as part of that cause of action. 

RHI concedes that plaintiff filed the notice of appeal of the state court's entry of 

summary judgment before the state court entered final judgment (citing RJN Exh. 7), but 

contends that once plaintiff's appeal in the state action is dismissed or resolved, the 

present action will be barred by the doctrine of res judicata (apparently assuming that the 

Superior Court will be affirmed on appeal). Accordingly, RHI asserts, a stay (or a 

dismissal) is appropriate here. RHI claims that finding otherwise would result in a waste 

of judicial and the parties’ resources, as plaintiff already had a full and fair opportunity to 

litigate his claims. 

Further, RHI contends, there is no prejudice to plaintiff in staying the present 

action, as he had a full and fair opportunity to litigate his discrimination claim in the state 

action, and can fully pursue his state court appeal. On the other hand, RHI argues, it will 

be significantly prejudiced if a stay is not granted because it will spend unnecessary time 

and resources relitigating matters already raised and decided in the state action, and may 

face inconsistent judgments.

In opposition, plaintiff asserts that collateral estoppel does not bar the present 

action because the order granting summary judgment was not a decision on the merits. 

However, he cites no authority for this proposition. His only argument is that RHI filed the 

motion in “an attempt to rid themselves of liability knowing beforehand that all factual 

elements of the case were not disclosed to the Court and the Judge.” He claims that 

ruling could not possibly have been on the merits because discoverable information from 

the EEOC “case file investigation” was missing, and asserts that a reasonable jury could 

have found for him had this information been provided.2

 

2

 Plaintiff also devotes a significant portion of his opposition to various complaints about 

how he believes his case was mishandled in the Superior Court – e.g., RHI’s motion was 

“premature,” there were numerous “procedural errors,” he was not allowed sufficient time 

for discovery, etc. To the extent he is suggesting that in ruling on the present motion, this 

court should consider the conduct of the Superior Court case, there is – as this court 

noted at the hearing – no jurisdiction in federal court to review rulings or other aspects of 

cases filed in a state court. See Dubinka v. Judges of Sup. Ct. for State of Cal. for Cnty. 

of L.A. ̧23 F.3d 218, 221 (9th Cir. 1994) (under Rooker-Feldman doctrine, “[f]ederal 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 8 of 13
9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

Plaintiff argues further that this case should be "stayed and remanded to Federal 

Court" since res judicata cannot bar this action, based on RHI's failure to meet the 

requirements. He concedes that this case involves the same parties as the state-court 

action.3 However, as with issue preclusion, he asserts that there was no prior "valid, 

final" decision on the merits. He asserts that res judicata "may" bar a second suit if the 

same claims were dismissed on the merits in the first suit and that decision was not 

appealed. He also contends that "[a] stay is appropriate as the [c]ourt should see no 

competing interests associated with this action.” 

The court finds that the motion to dismiss must be DENIED, and that the motion 

for a stay must be GRANTED. Were it not for the fact that there is no judgment in the 

state court case, the court would grant the motion to dismiss based on collateral 

estoppel, as RHI has established all the elements with the exception of a “final judgment 

on the merits.” And were it not for the fact of the pending appeal, which may or may not 

be dismissed because of the lack of a judgment, the court would also find that the 

present case is barred by res judicata.

Taking the first issue – the lack of a judgment – the court notes that under 

California Code of Civil Procedure § 901, "[a] judgment or order in a civil action or 

proceeding may be reviewed as prescribed in this title." In turn, Code of Civil Procedure 

§ 904.1, which is entitled "Appealable judgments and orders," states that "an appeal, 

other than in a limited civil case, may be taken from any of the following" – and it lists "a 

judgment" (with certain limitations not applicable here) and a number of different types of 

orders, none of which is an order granting summary judgment. In the absence of a final 

 

district courts may exercise only original jurisdiction; they may not exercise appellate 

jurisdiction over state court decisions”); see also Noel v. Hall, 341 F.3d 1148, 1158 (9th 

Cir. 2003) (Rooker-Feldman bars not only direct attempts to appeal a state court’s 

decision, but also “de facto” appeals, such as complaints about erroneous legal rulings in 

state court cases). Plaintiff opted to file his case in the California Superior Court. If he is 

unhappy with the outcome, his only recourse is to appeal the decision to the California 

Court of Appeal. 

3

 Indeed, plaintiff conceded at the hearing on the present motion that “[i]t’s the same 

case generally.” 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 9 of 13
10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

judgment, the court cannot find that collateral estoppel applies, and the motion to dismiss 

must therefore be denied

Moreover, it seems clear that the Superior Court’s failure to enter a judgment was 

deliberate. The court granted RHI’s motion for summary judgment on April 21, 2017, but 

(as RHI’s counsel conceded at the hearing on the present motion) did not enter the 

proposed judgment that had been submitted by RHI in conjunction with its motion. 

Instead, on May 17, 2017, the court set the matter for a “case management conference 

for judgment after order granting [RHI’s] motion for summary judgment[.]” 

The court is not persuaded by RHI’s argument that the order granting summary 

judgment was a “final judgment” on the merits under California law. The case on which 

RHI relies – Stuart v. Lilves, 210 Cal. App. 3d 1215 (1989) – is readily distinguishable, as 

it involved a dispute regarding whether a Colorado judgment, inconsistent with an earlier 

California judgment, should be enforced in California. The decision clearly indicates that 

“the [California] court entered judgment in favor of defendant[,]” adding that “[a] judgment 

entered upon a motion for summary judgment . . . is as final and conclusive a 

determination of the merits as a judgment after trial.” Id. at 1218-19. There is no ruling in 

this decision to the effect that an order granting a motion for summary judgment is, in and 

of itself, to be viewed as a final judgment. 

It is true that there is less than universal agreement as to whether an order 

granting summary judgment in a California court is appealable in the absence of a final 

judgment. The weight of authority, however, including the more recent decisions, is that 

while a summary judgment is appealable, an order granting a motion for summary 

judgment is not. See, e.g., Saben, Earlis & Assocs. v. Fillet, 134 Cal. App. 4th 1024, 

1030 (2005); United Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Emert, 49 Cal. App. 4th 941, 944 (1996); 

Allabach v. Santa Clara Cnty. Fair Ass'n, 46 Cal. App. 4th 1007, 1010 (1996). "Because 

an appealable judgment or order is essential to appellate jurisdiction, the parties cannot 

by any form of consent make a nonappealable order appealable. The court must, on its 

own motion, dismiss an appeal from such an order." See 9 Witkin, Cal. Proc. 5th, Appeal 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 10 of 13
11

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

§ 86 (2017 ed.) (citing cases)

On occasion, the California Court of Appeal (notably, not the California Supreme 

Court) has held that even though no judgment has been entered, an order granting 

summary judgment (or other "non-appealable order") may be appealable where "judicial 

expediency" (or "the interests of justice") dictate that the merits of the appeal be reached, 

or where neither party has objected to the lack of a final judgment. See, e.g., Susag v. 

City of Lake Forest, 94 Cal. App. 4th 1401, 1407 n.2 (2002); Emert, 49 Cal. App. 4th at 

944; Francis v. Dun & Bradstreet, Inc., 3 Cal. App. 4th 535, 538 (1992); Nystrom v. First 

Nat'l Bank of Fresno, 81 Cal. App. 3d 759, 762-63 (1978); Conaway v. Conaway, 218 

Cal. App. 2d 427, 428 (1963); see also 9 Witkin, Cal. Proc. 5th, Appeal § 87. 

However, the California Supreme Court has made clear that "[t]he existence of an 

appealable judgment is a jurisdictional prerequisite to an appeal." Jennings v. Marralle, 8 

Cal. 4th 121, 126-27 (1994), quoted in Thompson v. Ioane, 11 Cal. App. 5th 1180, 1189 

(2017). One exception to this principle is a Rule of Court which allows the Court of 

Appeal to treat a notice of appeal filed after the Superior Court has announced its 

intended ruling, but before it has rendered judgment, as filed immediately after entry of 

judgment. See Cal. Rules of Court, Rule 8.104(d)(2). Where an appealable judgment is 

later entered, the notice of appeal will not be considered premature, and the Court of 

Appeal will construe the appeal to have been taken from the judgment of dismissal. See

Doan v. State Farm Gen'l Ins. Co., 195 Cal. App. 4th 1082, 1090 n.4 (2011), cited in

Thompson, 11 Cal. App. 5th at 1189-90. Nevertheless, no such circumstances exist in 

this case.

Taking the second issue, the fact that there is a pending appeal affects the 

availability of res judicata, and indeed, makes RHI’s argument about res judicata 

premature. In California, claim preclusion prevents relitigation of the same cause of 

action in a second suit between the same parties or parties in privity with them. DKN, 61 

Cal. 4th at 823-24. Thus, claim preclusion arises if a second suit involves the same

cause of action, between the same parties or parties in privity with them, after a final 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 11 of 13
12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

judgment on the merits in the first suit. Id. If claim preclusion is established, it operates 

to bar relitigation of the claim altogether. Id. 

For res judicata purposes, the judgment sought to be invoked in the bar must be 

“the last word” of the rendering court – a “final” judgment. Franklin & Franklin v. 7-Eleven 

Owners for Fair Franchising, 85 Cal. App. 4th 1168, 1174 (2000) (citation omitted), 

quoted in Samara, 8 Cal. App. 5th at 805. Further, the finality required to invoke the 

preclusive bar of res judicata is not achieved until an appeal from the trial court judgment 

has been exhausted or the time to appeal has expired. Id. (citing Producers Dairy 

Delivery Co. v. Sentry Ins. Co., 41 Cal. 3d 903, 910-11 (1986)). Thus, in this case, since 

the appeal of the order granting summary judgment is currently pending, claim preclusion 

cannot be applied in this case at this point. 

The other issue is with regard to the "same cause of action" requirement. The 

complaint in this action alleges a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (although it also 

references Title VII). A claim of discrimination under Title VII would be considered the 

"same cause of action" as a claim of discrimination under FEHA, because it involves the 

same "primary right" to be free from invidious employment discrimination. See, e.g.,

Acuña v. Regents of Univ. of Cal., 56 Cal. App. 4th 639, 649 (1997). Arguably, a claim of 

discrimination under § 1983 may also involve the same primary right as a FEHA claim of 

discrimination in employment. See Trujillo v. Cnty. of Santa Clara, 775 F.3d 1359, 1366 

(9th Cir. 1985).

Of course, RHI is not a state actor and there are no allegations that it conspired 

with a state actor, so it could not in any event be a defendant in a § 1983 case involving 

allegations of discrimination by a private employer. See Mitchell v. Akal Sec., Inc., 358 

Fed. Appx. 932, 933 (9th Cir. 2009). Assuming that the case can be construed as 

asserting a claim under Title VII, and assuming the Court of Appeal proceeds with the 

appeal and affirms the Superior Court, then claim preclusion would bar this action. 

However, at present, it does not.

The court finds therefore that a stay of this action is appropriate. Plaintiff does not 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 12 of 13
13

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

argue that he would be harmed by a stay, and indeed, favors staying the case pending 

resolution of the state court appeal. See Pltf’s Opp. at 11.4 RHI, on the other hand, is 

likely to be prejudiced if a stay is not granted because it will spend unnecessary time and 

resources relitigating matters already raised and decided in the state action, and may 

face inconsistent judgments. Further, the orderly course of justice will be best served by 

a stay of this action pending resolution of the appeal, given that the Superior Court has 

conclusively found that plaintiff failed to provide evidence sufficient to rebut RHI’s 

showing that it had a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for not hiring him. 

CONCLUSION

In accordance with the foregoing, the motion to dismiss is DENIED, and the 

alternative motion to stay is GRANTED. The court finds further that Accountemps should 

be DISMISSED from the case. 

Defendant shall notify the court as soon as the state-court appeal is final, 

assuming the Court of Appeal finds that the order granting summary was appealable 

despite the lack of a separate judgment. At that point, the court will set the case for any 

further necessary proceedings.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 27, 2017

__________________________________

PHYLLIS J. HAMILTON

United States District Judge

 

4

 Plaintiff asserts in his opposition that when his appeal is “complete and overturned,” it 

will “move back to the trial court,” at which point he will remand the case to federal court. 

Pltf’s Opp. at 11-12. As the court explained at the hearing, however, a case cannot be 

remanded from state court to federal court, but only from federal court to state court, and 

then only when it was previously improperly removed from state court. See 28 U.S.C. 

§§ 1441, 1446, 1447. 

Case 4:17-cv-03777-PJH Document 29 Filed 10/27/17 Page 13 of 13