Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-3_06-cv-03057/USCOURTS-arwd-3_06-cv-03057-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Christina Lynn Hammond
Plaintiff
Mike Houchen
Defendant
James Jarret
Defendant
Sonic Restaurant of Mountain Home
Defendant
Adrian Woodbury
Defendant

Document Text:

AO72A

(Rev. 8/82)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

HARRISON DIVISION

CHRISTINA LYNN HAMMOND PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 06-3057

SONIC RESTAURANT OF MOUNTAIN

HOME; ADRIAN WOODBURY; JAMES

JARRET; and MIKE HOUCHEN D EFENDANTS

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Christina Lynn Hammond brings this employment discrimination action pursuant to Title

VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e. Her complaint was provisionally filed in forma pauperis (IFP) and it is

now determined whether it should be served upon the defendants. On November 2, 2006, the

undersigned entered an order (Doc. 4) directing the plaintiff to sign and return an addendum to

her complaint. The court received the addendum (Doc. 5) on November 15, 2006.

I. Background

Christina Lynn Hammond filed this action on September 18, 2006. She named as

defendants the Sonic Restaurant of Mountain Home, Adrian Woodbury, James Jarret, and Mike

Houchen. She contends each of the individually named defendants discriminated against her.

Hammond was employed as a car-hop at the Sonic Restaurant of Mountain Home from

September 29, 2005, until her discharge on January 22, 2006. Addendum at ¶ 1 & ¶ 2. 

Hammond maintains James Jarret sexually propositioned her and a co-worker “Scotty”

sexually harassed her. Complaint at ¶ 5 & Addendum at ¶ 3. Adrian Woodbury is the manager

of Sonic. Addendum at ¶ 3. Hammond maintains Woodbury discriminated against her by failing

to investigate her allegations of sexual discrimination and by discharging her. Id. James Jarret

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(Rev. 8/82)

is the assistant manager. Id. Hammond maintains Jarret attempted to cover up the sexual

harassment by “Scotty” and also propositioned her and other workers. Id. 

Hammond indicates Mike Houchen is the district manager. Addendum at ¶ 3. Hammond

states the sexual harassment was reported to Houchen but he later denied it was reported to him.

Id. Moreover, Hammond asserts she overheard Houchen telling Woodbury to get rid of her. Id.

II. Discussion

The Eighth Circuit has held that supervisors may not be individually held liable under

Title VII. See e.g., Lee v. State of Minnesota, Dept. of Commerce, 157 F.3d 1130 (8th Cir.

1998); Spencer v. Ripley County State Bank, 123 F.3d 690 (8th Cir. 1997); Bonomolo-Hagen

v. Clay Central-Everly Community School Dist., 121 F.3d 446, 447 (8th Cir. 1997). For this

reason, all claims against the Adrian Woodbury and James Jarret should be dismissed. Lee, 157

F.3d at 1135; Bales v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 143 F.3d 1103, 1111 (8th Cir. 1998)(the district

court had properly held a Wal-Mart employee named as a defendant could only be liable in his

capacity as an employee of Wal-Mart). 

Mike Houchen was identified in the right to sue notice issued by the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission as the managing partner of the Sonic Restaurant of Mountain Home.

Therefore, the court believes it is appropriate to leave him named as a defendant in his capacity

as managing partner. 

III. Conclusion

I therefore recommend that all claims against Adrian Woodbury and James Jarret be

dismissed.

Hammond has ten days from receipt of the report and recommendation in which

to file written objections pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). The failure to file timely

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(Rev. 8/82)

objections may result in waiver of the right to appeal questions of fact. Hammond is

reminded that objections must be both timely and specific to trigger de novo review by the

district court.

DATED this 20th day of November 2006.

/s/ Beverly Stites Jones 

HON. BEVERLY STITES JONES 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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