FILED U.S. COURT OF A P P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IR C U IT MARCH 29, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK

Honora ble Judith M. Barzil ay , Judg e, United States Court of International Trade , sitti ng * by designation. [ 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

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. C. D o c k e tN o . 0 4
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S T A C E Y T A T R O E , P la in tif f
- A p p e lle e , v ersu s T O N Y W H E E L E R , I ndi vi dua l l y a nd i n hi s O ff i ci al C apac i ty a s M anager of the C obb C ount y 9- 1- 1 C o m m u n ic a tio n s B u r e a u , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ 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 N o r th e r n D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( M ar c h 29, 2007) B ef ore H U L L and M A R C U S , C i rc ui tJudg es , and B A R Z IL A Y , Judg e. *2

P E R C U R I A M: In t hi s i nt er l ocut ory app ea l , A pp el l antT on y W heel erchal l enges the di stri ct court ’ s deni al of qu al i fi ed i m m un i ty in a su itbrou gh tby A pp el l ee S t ac ey T atroe, W he e l e r ’ s fo rm er e m pl oy e e . T a t r oe c l a i m s tha tW he e l e rr e t a l i a t e d a ga i ns the rf or const i tut i on al l y prot ec t ed spee ch m ade w hi l e s he w orked as a Co bb C ou nt y 9-1-1
em er gency operat or. T he di stri ctcourtdeni ed W heel er ’ s m ot i on for s um m ar y j u d g me n t , f

i n d i n g th a t h e w a s n o t e n t i t l e d t o q u a l i f i e d i mmu n i ty a t th i s s t a ge of t he l i t i ga t i on. O n a ppe al , W h eel e rc ont e nds tha tthe a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i ons
a lle g e d b y T a tr o e w e r e m o tiv a te d a t le a s t in p a r t b y la w f u l c o n s i d e r a tio n s a n d th a t, th e r e f o r e , h e i s e n t i t l e d t o q u a l i f i e d i mmu n i ty u n d e r St a n l e y v . Ci ty o f D a l t on, 219 F
. 3d 1280, 1294- 97 ( 11th C i r . 2000) , a nd F oy v. H ol s t on, 94 F
. 3d 152 8 , 1 5 3 4 -35 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 6 )
. A ft er t h o ro u g h rev i ew o f t h e reco rd an d h av i n g co n si d ered o ral a r g u m e n t,
w e a f f ir m . T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t c o r r e c tly c o n c lu d e d th a t W h e e le ris n o t e n t i t l e d to qua l i f i e d i m m uni ty a tt hi s s t a ge of the l i t i ga t i o n b ec a us e the r e c or d doe s not i ndi s put a bl y i ndi c a t e t ha tt he a l l e ge d a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i o n s t a ke n by W h eel er w ere m o t i v at ed , atl easti n p art , b y l aw fu l co n si d erat i o n s. S ee S t an l ey, 219 F
. 3d a t 1296 ( “ A de f e nda nt i s e nt i t l e d t o qua l i f i e d i m m uni ty unde r t h e F oy
ra t i on al e onl y w here , am on g o ther th in g s, the re cord i nd i sput abl y e st abl i shes t hat3

the defe nd ant i n f

ac t w as m ot i vat ed, at l ea st i n par t , by l aw ful co n sid er at i on s. ”) ; J ohns on v. C i ty of F o rt L au de r da l e , 126 F
. 3d 1372, 1379 ( 11t h C i r . 1997) ( “ T he h o ld in g i n F o y r e s te d p r im a r ily o n th e e x is te n c e o f a n in d is p u ta b le a n d a d e q u a te l aw ful m ot i ve . . . . ”)
. AF F I RME D.