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Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 

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United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT

No. 15-7085 September Term, 2015

FILED ON: MAY 20, 2016

LYNN M. JOHNSON,

APPELLANT

v.

BAE SYSTEMS, INC., BAE SYSTEMS, PLC AND BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION SOLUTIONS, INC.,

APPELLEES

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the District of Columbia

(No. 1:11-cv-02172)

Before: TATEL, KAVANAUGH, and MILLETT, Circuit Judges.

J U D G M E N T

This appeal was considered on the record from the United States District Court for the 

District of Columbia and on the briefs of the parties. The Court has afforded the issues full 

consideration and has determined that they do not warrant a published opinion. See D.C. Cir. R. 

36(d). It is

ORDERED and ADJUDGED that the order of the District Court dismissing plaintiff’s 

action with prejudice be AFFIRMED. 

A district court may dismiss a case based on a party’s flagrant or egregious misconduct

when the court finds “clear and convincing evidence of misconduct” and provides a “specific, 

reasoned explanation for rejecting lesser sanctions.” Shepherd v. American Broadcasting

Companies, Inc., 62 F.3d 1469, 1478 (D.C. Cir. 1995); Bonds v. District of Columbia, 93 F.3d 

801, 809 (D.C. Cir. 1996). This Court reviews a district court’s imposition of a dismissal 

sanction for abuse of discretion. Shepherd, 62 F.3d at 1475. We do not set aside a district 

court’s factual findings concerning a party’s misconduct unless those findings are clearly 

erroneous. Id. at 1475-76.

In this case, the District Court found clear and convincing evidence that plaintiff altered 

medical records and engaged in the wholesale destruction of potentially relevant Facebook 

messages and e-mails. Those findings are not clearly erroneous. Moreover, the District Court 

twice issued lesser sanctions against plaintiff, resorting to the ultimate sanction of dismissal only 

USCA Case #15-7085 Document #1614238 Filed: 05/20/2016 Page 1 of 2
after the full extent of plaintiff’s discovery misconduct became known and after specifically 

determining that no lesser sanction would suffice. Under those circumstances, the District Court 

did not abuse its discretion in dismissing plaintiff’s case based on egregious discovery 

misconduct. 

Pursuant to D.C. Circuit Rule 36, this disposition will not be published. The Clerk is 

directed to withhold issuance of the mandate herein until seven days after resolution of any 

timely petition for rehearing or rehearing en banc. See Fed. R. App. P. 41(b); D.C. Cir. R. 41.

FOR THE COURT:

Mark J. Langer, Clerk

BY: /s/

Ken Meadows

Deputy Clerk

USCA Case #15-7085 Document #1614238 Filed: 05/20/2016 Page 2 of 2