FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC U IT MARCH 26, 2008 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H]

I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 07- 13974 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 05 -001 55 -C V -C D L -4 S A M M Y L . S I M S , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s P A T R I C I A J . T A Y L O R , T e s t S e c u r ity S p e c ia lis t, E d u c a tio n a l T e s tin g S e rv ic e , I n H e rI n d iv id u a l a n d O f f ic ia l C ap a c ity , E D U C A T I O N A L T E S T I N G S E R V I C E , C A M I L L E H A S S E N P L U G , P h .D ., T e s tin g C o o r d in a to r , C ol um bus S t a t e U ni ve r s i ty , I n H e rI ndi vi dua l a nd O f f ic ia l C ap a c ity , F R A N K B R O W N , P h .D , P r e s id e n t, C o lu m b u s S ta te U n iv e r s ity , K U R T L A N D G R A F , P re si dentand C hi ef E xecut i ve O f f ic e r , E d u c a tio n a l T e s tin g S e rv ic e , D e f e n d a n ts - A p p e lle e s .2 ________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e M id d le D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( M ar c h 26, 2008) B efo re M A R C U S , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: S a m m y L . S i m s appe a l s pr o s e the s um m a ry j udgm e nti n f a vorof E d u c a tio n a l T e s tin g S e rv ic e a n d a g a in s t S im s ’s c o m p la in t o f b r e a c h o f

c o n tr a c t. T h e d i stri ctco u rtco n cl u d ed th atth e T est i n g S erv i ce w as n o treq u i red t o rel ease S im s ’s te s t s c o r e a f

te rS im s f

a ile d to p r e s e n t “a c c e p tab le a n d v a lid ” id e n tif ic a tio n . W e a f f i rm. I . B AC KG RO UN D S i m s f i l ed a c om pl ai ntagai nstE du ca t i on al T es t i ng S ervi ce ; K urtL andg ra f, the pr e s i de ntof

the T e s t i ng S e rvi c e ; P a tr i c i aT a y l or , a n e m pl oy e e of the T e s t i ng S e rvi c e ; C a m i l l e H a s s e npl ug, a n e m pl oy e e of C ol um bus S t a t e U ni ve r s i ty w ho i nde pe nde nt l y c ontr a c t e d w i th the T e s t i ng S e rvi c e t o a dm i ni s t e re xa m s ; a nd F r a nk B row n, the pres i dentof C ol um bu s S t at e U ni vers i ty. S i m s a l l eged thatthe re fusa l b y th e Te s t i n g Se rv i c e a n d th e n a me d p a r t i e s t o r e l e a s e h i s t e s ts c o r e s f r o m a P r a xi s e xa m a dm i ni s t e r e d i n S e pt e m be r2005 vi ol a t e d hi s f e de r a l c i vi l r i ght s a nd3

th e d e f e n d a n t s c o m m i tt e d d e f

a m a t i o n a n d b r e a c h o f

c o n tr a c tu n d e rGe o r g i al a w. W hi l e e m pl oyed as a s ub st i tut e t ea cher , S i m s dec i ded t o see k a profes si on al t ea chi ng ce rt i fi ca t e. T o o bt ai n the ce rt i fi ca t e, S i m s had t o p as s the P ra xi s I exam and the tw o-partP ra xi s I I e xam . S i m s r egi st er ed t o t ake these exam s, w hi ch w er e a dm i ni s t e r e d by the T e s t i ng S e rvi c e i n N ove m be r2004, J a nua ry 2005, a nd S e pt e m be r2005. T h e P r a x is r e g is tr a tio n b u lle tin s r e q u ir e d r e g is tr a n ts to p r e s e n t “a c c e p tab le and v al i d” i dent i fi ca t i on before adm i ss i on t o eac h exam i nat i on . R egi stra nt s w er e r e q u ir e d to p r e s e n t as in g le “p r im a ry id e n tif ic a tio n d o c u m e n t” th a t d is p la y e d th e ir phot ogr aph a nd s i gna tur e . A c c e pt abl e pr i m ary i de nt i f i c a t i on doc um e nt s i nc l ude d a pass po rt , dri ver’ s l i ce nse, st at e i dent i fi ca t i on , nat i on al i dent i fi ca t i on , or m i l i t ary i de nt i f i c a t i on. I f

the pr i m a ry i de nt i f

i c a t i on di d notc ont a i n aphot ogr aph or si gn ature, then the re gi stra ntw as re qu i re d t o p rodu ce an un expi re d sup pl em ent al i de nt i f i c a t i on doc um e nttha tdi s pl a y e d ar e c e ntphot ogr aph a nd s i gna tur e . T he bul l e t i n s t a t e d tha tagove rnm e nt - i s s ue d i de nt i f i c a t i on doc um e nt , s tude nt id en ti fica ti o n , o r a co n firm atio n -o f- id en ti ty lett ero b tain ed fr o m th e r eg istran t’ s e d u c a tio n a l in s titu tio n w e r e a c c e p tab le f o rm s o f id e n tif ic a tio n , b u t th e b u lle tin proh i bi t ed the use of a ny expi re d i dent i fi ca t i on , a S oci al S ec uri ty c ar d, a t em po ra ry i de nt i f i c a t i on doc um e nt , ora n e m pl oy e e i de nt i f i c a t i on c a r d.4

T he bu l l et i n st at ed that , i f the re gi stra ntcoul d n otpres entthe re qu i re d id e n tif ic a tio n , th e r e g is tr a n t w o u ld n o t b e a d m itte d to th e e x a m a n d w o u ld f o r f e it the t e s ta nd r e gi s tr a t i on f e e s . I f ar e gi s tr a ntpr e s e nt e d una c c e pt abl e i de nt i f i c a t i on, butw a s a dm i tt e d t o the e xa m , a n e m pl oy e e a tthe t e s tc e nt e rc oul d c ons i de rthe i de nt i f i c a t i on “ que s t i onabl e ” a nd e i the rdi s m i s s the r e gi s tr a ntf r om the e xa m or s u b m it th e is s u e f

o rf u r th e rr e v ie w b y f

ilin g as u p e rv is o r ’s irr e g u la r ity r e p o r t. I f it i de nt i f i e d apr obl e m w i th the i de nt i f i c a t i on, the T e s t i ng S e rvi c e r e s e rve d the opt i on ei ther t o d ec l i ne t o score the t es tor ca ncel the t es tsc ore. F orhi s a dm i s s i on t o the f i r s tpa r tof

the P r a xi s I I e xa m i n N ove m be r2004, S i m s pre se nt ed an expi re d A l abam a t em po rarydri ver’ s l i ce nse a nd an att orney id e n tif ic a tio n c a r d is s u e d b y af e d e r a l d is tr ic t c o u r t in P e n n s y lv a n ia . C a m ille H a s s e npl ug a dm i tt e d S i m s i nt o the e xa m , butt ol d S i m s tha thi s t e s tm i ghtnotbe s c or e d. H a s s e npl ug f

i l e d a n i rr e gul a r i ty r e por t . S i m s w r ot e on hi s e xa m tha the agre ed t o com pl y w i th the cond i t i on s s t at ed i n the bu l l et i n. P atri ci a T ay l or l at er spok e w i th S i m s on the t el epho ne and eventual l y a gree d t o acc eptS i m s’ s e xp i re d A l abam a dri ver’ s l i ce nse a nd re l ea se S i m s’ s s core . S i m s s atfor the P ra xi s I exam i n January20 05 . S i m s a l l eged that H a s s e npl ug di d notr e qui r e hi m t o pr oduc e a ny i de nt i f i c a t i on f ora dm i s s i on t o the P r a x is I e x a m in a tio n , b u t H a s s e n p lu g a lle g e d th a t S im s d id n o t p r e s e n t a c c e p tab le5

i dent i fi ca t i on . H as se np l ug fi l ed a r eportthatst at ed S i m s di d n otprod uce proper i de nt i f i c a t i on, butw a s a dm i tt e d be c aus e H a s s e npl ug r e m e m be r e d hi m f r om the e a r lie rP r a x is I I e x a m a n d S im s to ld h e rth a t th e T e s tin g S e rv ic e h a d r e le a s e d h is t es tsc ore f

or the fi rs tpartof the P ra xi s I I e xam . S i m s a gai n w rot e on h i s e xam a ns w e rs he e ttha the a gr e e d t o the c om pl y w i th the c ondi t i ons of the bul l e t i n. W he n S i m s r e gi s t e r e d f orthe s e c ond pa r tof

the P r a xi s I I e xa m , H a s s e npl ug re m in d ed S im s to b rin g ac ce p tab le id en ti fica ti o n to th e e x am in atio n . S im s’s a d m is s io n tic k e t s ta te d th a t th e T e s tin g S e rv ic e w o u ld a c c e p t th o s e d o c u m e n ts lis te d in th e b u lle tin a s “p r im a ry id e n tif ic a tio n d o c u m e n ts .” F o rh is a d m is s io n to the s e c ond pa r tof

the P r a xi s I I e xa m , S i m s pr e s e nt e d s e ve r a l i de nt i f i c a t i on d o c u m e n ts : h is b ir th c e r tif ic a te , a n e x p ir e d A lab a m ate m p o r a ry d r iv e r ’s lic e n s e , a S oci al S ec uri ty c ar d, the att orney i dent i fi ca t i on ca rd, and h i s e m pl oyee i de nt i f i c a t i on c a r ds f

r om the M us c oge e C ounty S c hool D i s tr i c ta nd C a rve rH i gh S choo l . H as se np l ug t ol d S i m s thathi s i dent i fi ca t i on do cum ent s w er e una c c e pt abl e . A l though H a s s e npl ug ha d be e n i ns truc t e d nott o a dm i tS i m s i nt o the e xa m i f he di d notpr e s e ntpr ope ri de nt i f i c a t i on, s he l a t e ra dm i tt e d S i m s a tthe in s tru c tio n o f

h e rs u p e rv is o r s a f

te rS im s b e c a m e “th r e a te n in g .” S im s w r o te o n h is e xa m , “ I he r e by a gr e e t o the c ondi t i ons s e tf or th i n the R e gi s tr a t i on B ul l e t i n a nd c e r tif y th a t I a m th e p e r s o n w h o s e n a m e a n d a d d r e s s ap p e a ro n th is a n s w e rs h e e t.”6

T ay l or l at erm ai l ed a l ett ert o S i m s thatst at ed thatthe T es t i ng S ervi ce w as c ons i de r i ng w he the rt o c a nc e l S i m s ’ s t e s ts c or e be c aus e he di d notpr ovi de a c c e pt abl e i de nt i f

i c a t i on, i ns truc t e d S i m s t o m a i l “ ac l e a rc opy of [ hi s ] pa s s por tor othe rpos i t i ve i de nt i f

i c a t i on” f

orr e vi e w , a nd not e d tha tS i m s ’ s s c or e w oul d be ca ncel ed i f he di d n ott i m el y r es po nd . S i m s prom pt l y r es po nd ed by l ett er , subm i tt ed copi es of the sa m e docum ent s pre se nt ed atthe l as texam , and ass ert ed tha tthe doc um e nt s ha d be e n “ a c c e pt e d a nd appr ove d” f orthe e a r l i e rt e s t s . T a y l or rep l i ed th atth e d o cu m en t s “ d i d n o treso l v e” th e m att er, ex p l ai n ed th atS i m s’ s t est sc ore w as “ on ho l d, ” a nd grant ed S i m s unt i l D ec em ber 11, 20 05 , “ t o sub m i tprop er i de nt i f i c a t i on. ” A f

t e rS i m s f

a i l e d t o s ubm i ta ny othe ri de nt i f i c a t i on, the T e s t i ng Se rv i c e r e f

u s e dt o r e l e a s e Si ms ’ s s c o r e f o rth e s e c o n d p a r to f

th e Pr a x i s I I e x a m. A ft erS i m s f

i l ed hi s c om pl ai nt , S i m s and the i nd i vi du al defe nd ant s s ub m i tt ed m ot i on s f

or j ud gm enton the pl ea di ng s and for s um m ary j ud gm ent . T he di stri ct courtdi sm i ss ed se vera l of S i m s’ s f eder al and st at e l aw cl ai m s and grant ed se vera l o f th e d e f e n d a n ts ’ m o tio n s f

o rs u m m a ry ju d g m e n t. S im s la te rv o lu n ta r ily di s m i s s e d hi s r e m a i ni ng c l a i m s w i th pr e j udi c e , e xc e ptthe c l a i m f orbr e a c h of contra ctagai nstthe T es t i ng S ervi ce . A f t e rdi s c ove ry , the T e s t i ng S e rvi c e m ove d f ors um m a ry j udgm e nt . T he T e s t i ng S e rvi c e a r gue d tha tS i m s f a i l e d t o s a t i s f

y ac ondi t i on pr e c e de ntof the7

c ontr a c tbe c aus e he di d notpr e s e nta c c e pt abl e i de nt i f i c a t i on f orthe s e c ond pa r tof th e P r a x is I I e x a m , th e T e s tin g S e rv ic e e x e r c is e d its c o n tr a c tu a l r ig h t to h o ld Si ms ’ s s c o r e , a n d Si ms d i d n o ts u f f e rd a ma g e s b e c au s e h e f a i l e d th e e x a m. Si ms r e s ponde d tha the ha d pr e s e nt e d a c c e pt abl e pr i m a ry i de nt i f i c a t i on, the T e s t i ng S ervi ce w ai ved i t s r i gh tt o requi re ac ce pt abl e i dent i fi ca t i on , and h e s uffe re d irr e p a r ab le d a m a g e to h is te a c h in g c a r e e rw h e n th e T e s tin g S e rv ic e r e f u s e d to r e l e a s e th e s c o r e f

o rh i s l a s te x a m. T he di stri ctcourtgrant ed sum m ary j ud gm enti n favor of the T es t i ng S ervi ce and d eni ed S i m s’ s m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm ent . T he di stri ctcourtconcl ud ed th a t th e a g r e e m e n t b e tw e e n S im s a n d th e T e s tin g S e rv ic e , “[ a ]s s u m in g . . . a c o n tr a c te x i s t e d , ” r e q u i r e dSi ms t o p r e s e n ta c c e p t ab l e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n a n d Si ms f a i l e d t o s a t i s f

y tha tc ondi t i on.

I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r e v ie w ag r a n t o f

s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t d e n o v o a n d r e v ie w th e e v id e n c e in th e lig h t m o s t f

a v o r ab le to th e n o n m o v in g p a r ty . T h o m a s v . C o o p e rL ig h tin g , I n c ., 50 6 F . 3d 13 61 , 13 63 (11th C i r. 20 07 ). S um m ary j ud gm enti s app ropri at e w hen the r e e xi s t s no ge nui ne i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c ta nd the m ovi ng pa r ty i s the r e by ent i t l ed t o j ud gm entas a m att erof l aw . Id. (quo t i ng F ed. R . C i v. P . 56 (c )) .8 I I I . DI S CUS S I ON S i m s c ha l l e nge s the s um m a ry j udgm e nti n f a vorof the T e s t i ng S e rvi c e on three grou nd s. F i rs t , S i m s c on t ends thatthe T es t i ng S ervi ce w ai ved i t s c on tra ctual r e qui r e m e ntf

orS i m s t o pr e s e nt“ a c c e pt abl e and va l i d” i de nt i f i c a t i on t o be a dm i tt e d i nt o the P r a xi s e xa m . S e c ond, S i m s a r gue s tha thi s a tt orne y i de nt i f i c a t i on c a r d qua l i f

i e d a s a n a c c e pt abl e f

orm of i de nt i f i c a t i on. T hi r d, S i m s c ont e nds tha the pr e s e nt e d e vi de nc e of

da m a ge s . W e r e

j e c tS i m s ’ s f

i r s ttw o a r gum e nt s a nd ne e d not a d d r e s s h is th ir d a r g u m e n t.

A . T he R ec ord D oes N

otEstab l ish T

ha t the T es t i ngServ i ce W a iv e d th e I de n tific a tio n R e q u ir e m e n t. U nde rG e or gi al a w , “ [ w ] he r e the t e rm s of ac ontr a c ta r e pl a i n a nd u n a m b ig u o u s , th e c o n s tru c tio n o f th e c o n tr a c t is aq u e s tio n o f la w ” a n d is

“ pa r t i c ul a r l y appr opr i a t e f ors um m a ry a dj udi c a t i on. ” G a rvi n v. S m i th, 510 S . E . 2d 86 3, 86 4 (G a. C t . A pp . 19 99 ); se e a l so G a. C od e A nn . § 1 3-2-1. “ If the t erm s use d a r e c l e a ra nd una m bi guous [ , ] the y a r e t o be t a ke n a nd unde r s t ood i n the i rpl a i n, o rd i n ary, an d p o p u l ar sen se. ” Im ag i n g S ys. In t ’ l , In c. v . M ag n et i c R eso n an ce P l u s, I n c ., 5 2 7 S .E .2 d 6 0 9 , 6 1 0

– 1 1 ( G a . C t. A p p . 2 0 0 0 ) ( q u o tin g ( a lte r a tio n in o r ig in a l) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i on m a rks om i tt e d) ; s e e a l s o G a . C ode A nn. § 13- 2- 2( 2) ( “ [ w ] or ds g e n e r a lly b e a rth e iru s u a l a n d c o m m o n s ig n if ic a tio n ” ) . A p a r ty m a y w a iv e , b y its a c t i ons orc onduc t , ac ontr a c tua l pr ovi s i on f ori t s be ne f

i t . K us um av. M e t a m e tr i x,9

I nc . , 381 S . E . 2d 322, 324 ( G a . C t . A pp. 1989) . T o de t e rm i ne i f aw a i ve roc c urr e d, the c our tc ons i de r s w he the r“ the c onduc tof both pa r t i e s i nt e nde d t o r e s ul ti n the

‘ m utua l di s r e ga r d’ of

, or‘ m utua l de pa r tur e ’ f r om the c ontr a c tt e rm s . ” I d. a t323 (e m ph as i s om i tt ed). A l though the di s tr i c tc our tdi d nota ddr e s s S i m s ’ s w a i ve ra r gum e nt , the re cord es t abl i shes thatno w ai ver occurr ed. T he re cord cont ai ns no evi dence that th e Te s t i n g Se rv i c e u n i l a t e r a l l y w a i v e d n o rd i d th e Te s t i n g Se rv i c e a n d Si ms m utua l l y a gr e e t o di s pe ns e w i th S i m s ’ s duty t o pr e s e nt“ a c c e pt abl e a nd va l i d” i de nt i f i c a t i on f orthe s e c ond pa r tof

the P r a xi s I I e xa m . S i m s a gr e e d t o the t e rm s of th e b u lle tin f

o rth e s e c o n d p a r t o f

th e P r a x is I I e x a m , a n d th e T e s tin g S e rv ic e d id n o t w a iv e th o s e te rm s . B . Si m s ’s A t torne

y I de nt i f i c at i on C ard D i d N

ot Q ual i f y as a “N

at i onal I de nt i f i c at i on” U

nde rthe T

e rm s of the B ul le t i n. S im s c o n te n d s th a t th e b u lle tin d id n o t s p e c if ic a lly d e f in e th e te rm s “s ta te i de nt i f i c a t i on” a nd “ na t i ona l i de nt i f i c a t i on” a nd the r e w a s a n a m bi gui ty about w hether hi s a tt orney i dent i fi ca t i on ca rd w as ac ce pt abl e a s one of these pri m ary form s of i dent i fi ca t i on . W e di sa gree . S i m s’ s a tt orney i dent i fi ca t i on ca rd di spl ay ed hi s pi cture a nd si gn ature f rom 28 ye ar s e ar l i erand st at ed thatS i m s w as a m em ber of the U ni t e d S t a t e s D i s tr i c tC our tf orthe E a s t e rn D i s tr i c tof P e nns y l va ni aa nd coul d u se the ca rd t o ent erthe fe dera l courtho use i n P hi l adel ph i a. S i m s a dm i tt ed10

thatthe att orney i dent i fi ca t i on ca rd w as l i m i t ed t o u se i n the i ss ui ng court . B as ed o n th e ap p e a r a n c e o f

th e c a r d a n d its lim ite d u s e , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t c o rr e c tly c onc l ude d tha tthe a tt orne y i de nt i f i c a t i on c ar d di d notqua l i f ya s e i the ras t a t e or nat i on al i dent i fi ca t i on . A n i nv es t i gat i on al so re veal ed thatS i m s’ s a tt orney i dent i fi ca t i on ca rd w as no l on ger val i d, and the bu l l et i n st at ed that“ any e xp i re d I D ” c o n s titu te da n “u n a c c e p tab le id e n tif ic a tio n d o c u m e n t.” B e c au s e S im s ’s a tto rn e y id e n tif ic a tio n c a r d d id n o t q u a lif y a s a n “a c c e p tab le p r im a ry id e n tif

ic a tio n d o c u m e n t,” th e T e s tin g S e rv ic e h a d ac o n tr a c tu a l r ig h t, u n d e rth e te rm s in th e b u lle tin , to r e f u s e to r e le a s e S im s ’s te s t s c o r e . T h e b u lle tin s ta te d , “W h e n , in E T S ’s ju d g m e n t, o rth e ju d g m e n t o f th e te s t c e n te rp e r s o n n e l, the r e i s adi s c r e pa nc yi n at e s tt a ke r ’ s i de nt i f i c a t i on, the t e s tt a ke rm a y be di s m i s s e d f

r om the t e s tc e nt e r . I n a ddi t i on, E T S m a yde c l i ne t o s c or e the t e s t , or c a nc e l the t e s ts c or e . ” T he r e c or d e s t abl i s he s tha tthe r e w a s no ge nui ne i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c tt o s uppor tS i m s ’ s c om pl a i nttha tthe T e s t i ng S e rvi c e br e a c he d a ny co n tractw i th S i m s. I V . CONCL US I ON T h e su m m ary j u d g m en ti n fav o r o f th e T est i n g S erv i ce i s A FFI R M ED .