## United States Court of App eals

F O R T H E E I G H T H C I R C U I T

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No. 1 0- 29 28

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Ja ne Po rte r, *

* App el la nt , *

* App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s

v. * Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e
* W es te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i. Ci ty of Lak e Lot awan a; * Art Van Hoo k, *

* App el le es

. *

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Su bm it te d: Apri l 1 1, 2 01 1 Fil ed : Au gu st 25 , 20 11

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re WOL LMAN an d M ELLOY, Cir cu it Ju dg es , and MILLER, Dis tri ct Ju dg e. 1

__ __ __ __ __ __ MILLER, Dis tri ct Ju dg e.

Ja ne Po rte r ap pe al s fro m t h e d i st ric t co ur t’s or de rs gr an ti ng su m m ary 2 jud g men t i n f

a v o r of th e Ci ty o f Lak e Lot awan a an d it s m ay or , Ar t Van Hoo k, an d th e su bs eq ue nt di sm is sa l of h e r w r o n gf ul te rm in at io n an d ret al ia ti on cl ai m s. On

Th e Hon or ab le Bri an S. Mi ll er, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e East e r n 1 Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s, s it ti ng by des ig na ti on

. The Hon or ab le Ro be rt E. Lars en , Uni te d St at es Mag i s t r a t e J ud ge fo r th e 2 W es te rn Dis tri ct of Mi ss ou ri, who pr e s i d e d ov er th e cas e wit h th e co ns en t of th e pa rti es pu rs ua nt to 28 U.S.C. § 6 36 (c)( 1)

.ap pe al
, Po rte r reas se rts th at th e Ci ty br each ed he r em pl oym en t co nt ract an d th at sh e

es ta bl is he d tri ab le is su es of fact as to he r ret al ia ti on cl ai m s. Fo r th e reas on s se t fo rth be lo w, we affi rm

.

I.

Ja ne Po rte r wor ke d fo r th e Ci ty of Lak e Lot awan a, Mi ss ou ri f ro m 19 96 un ti l sh e was te r mi n a t e d in Ju ly 20 06

. In Ja nu ary 20 06
, two of Po rte r’s co -wo rk ers , Rh on da Lit tre ll an d Ton i Bu rg es s, m et wit h th e m ay or , Art Van Hoo k, t o co m pl ai n ab ou t Port er. Lit tre ll to ld Van Ho ok th at sh e sa w a cred it card st at em en t in di cat in g th at Po rte r ch arg ed se ve ral pe rs on al it em s to t h e Ci ty. It is un di sp ut ed th at Po rte r

m ad e a nu m

be r of pe rs on al pu rch as es wit h th e Ci ty’ s Vis a card an d th at in Feb ru ary 20 06
, Van Hoo k or de red Po rte r to st op

. It is al so un di sp ut ed th at Van Hoo k or de red
Po rte r to su rren de r th e Ci ty’ s Vis a an d W al m art cr e d i t c ard s in Mar ch 20 06
, aft er Po rte r ack no wled ge d th at s he ha d m ad e se ve ral pe rs on al pu rch as es wit h th e Ci ty’ s W al m art card

.

The reaf te r, Po rte r m em or ia li zed he r pe rs pe ct iv e on th es e ev en ts

. On Apr il 12
, 20 06
, sh e pr ep ared a “ no te to fil e” st at in g t h a t V a n Hoo k “ gr il le d” he r du rin g th e
p r e v i o u s w e ek as to th e W al m art pu rch as es

. On Apr il 20
, 20 06
, Po rte r pr ep ared a

m em or an du m st at in g “ [w]hil e do in g an in te rn al au di t, I di sc ov ered I ha d by acci de nt

m ad e ch arg es fo r m

y se lf on th e Ci ty’ s car d

. I t was a m is ta ke
, an d on e whi ch I am
tru ly so rry fo r. The refo re, I am de po si ti ng $2 39 .09 in th e Gen eral Fu nd Acco un t to

co ve r th es e ch arg es whi ch I m is ta ke nl y m ad e.” The sa m e da y , Po rte r dr aft ed a ch eck

to rei m bu rs e th e Ci ty fo r so m e of th e im pr op er ch arg es sh e m ad e du rin g 20 05 on th e W al m art card

.

On May 24
, 20 06
, Po rte r was re-a pp oi nt ed to he r po si ti on as ci ty cl erk fo r a
te rm of on e y ea r

. The ne xt da y , sh e was pl aced on ad m in is tra ti ve le av e an d was in fo rm ed th at th e Ci ty was ret ai ni ng an ou ts id e au di to r to in ve st ig at e pa y ro ll an d

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-ti m e-ca rd di sc rep an ci es , un au th or iz ed pa id va cat io n, un au th or i z ed co m pe ns at or y ti m e, qu es ti on ab le cred it card tra ns act io ns , un au th or iz ed se wer bil li ng ad jus tm en ts ,
an d fa il ur e to pro pe rly m ai nt ai n c it y reco rd s i n a n o rd erl y

fas hi on

.

On Ju ly 26
, 20 06
, Po rte r wro te a le tt er to th e ci ty at to rn ey st at in g th at sh e was

a vi ct im o f a g e a n d ge nd er di sc riminat io n an d was su bjec te d to a ho st il e wor k

en vi ro nm en t. The ci ty at to rn ey se nt an e mai l to Po rte r on th e m or ni ng of Ju ly 28
, ack no wled gi ng rece ip t of he r le tt er. Late r th at da y , th e au di t fir m in ve st ig at in g th e Ci ty’ s reco rd s rep or te d to th e bo ard of al de rm en th at Po rte r’s m is us e of C i t y c r e d i t card s was an “ ob vi ou s red fla g” am on g “ a lo t of red fla gs ,” a n d t h a t t h e pu rch as es

m ad e by Po rte r in cl ud ed li qu or , jewelr y , fo od
, an d cl ot hi ng

. Im m ed ia te ly aft er th e
pr es en ta ti on , Van Hoo k reco m m en de d th at th e bo ard of al de rm en te rm in at e Po rte r’s

em pl oym e nt

. The bo ard
, ho wev er, co ul d no t pr oc eed be cau se on e of th e al de rm en ab st ai ne d.

The bo a r d m et ag ai n on Ju ly 31
, 20 06
, an d vo te d fo ur -to -th ree in fav or of

te rm ina tin g Po rte r, wit h th e m ay or cas ti ng th e ti e-b reak in g vo te

. The al de rm en vo ti ng in fav or of te rm in at io n st at ed th at th ey di d so ba se d on th ei r rev ie w of Ci ty cred it card

reco rd s, th e au di t fir m ’s pr es en ta ti on , an d t h e ir be li ef th at Po rte r en ga ge d in in ap pr op ria te act iv it ie s.

Po rte r fil ed su it al le gi ng : (1 ) ag e di sc riminat io n un de r th e Age Dis cri m in at io n in Em pl oym en t Act (ADEA); (2) gen de r di sc riminat io n u nd er Titl e VII of th e Ci vi l Ri gh ts Act of 19 64 ; (3 ) ret al i a t i o n u n d er Tit le VII, th e ADEA, an d th e Mi ss ou ri
Hum an Ri gh ts Act (MHRA) ; (4 ) un de fin ed vi ol at io ns of th e MHRA; (5 ) wro ng fu l

te rm in at io n; an d (6 ) de fam at io n. On Mar ch 31
, 20 09
, th e di st ric t co ur t gr an te d Van
Hoo k’s m ot io n for judg m en t on th e pl ead in gs as well as Van Hoo k’s and th e Ci ty’ s

m ot io ns fo r su m

m ary jud gm en t an d di sm is se d al l of Po rte r’s cl ai m s exc ep t he r to rtba se d wro ng fu l te r mi n a ti on cl ai m

. The di st ric t co ur t de ni ed su m m ary jud gm en t as
to Po rte r’s to rt- ba se d wro ng fu l te rm in at io n cl ai m fin di ng th at a ge nu in e is su e of fact

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-rem ai ne d as to w h e t h er th e Ci ty’ s li ab il it y in su ran ce waiv ed th e Ci ty’ s so ve rei gn

im m un i t y fro m to rt li ab il it y

. The di st ric t co ur t di sm is se d Po rte r’s co nt ract -b as ed

wro ng fu l te rm in at io n cl ai m be cau se Mi ss ou ri la w req ui res co nt ract s wit h

m un ic ip al it ie s to be in writ in g an d Po rte r fai le d sh ow th at sh e ha d a writ te n co nt ract

.

On Ju ne 21
, 20 10
, th e di st ric t co ur t en te red a se co nd su m m ary jud gm en t or de r. In th at or de r, th e co ur t reaf fir m ed th e fin di ng s in th e Mar ch 20 09 or de r as to Po rte r’s la ck of an en fo rcea bl e co nt ract

. The co ur t, ho wev er, reco ns id ered it s f i n d i ng as to Po rte r’s to rt- ba se d wr on gf ul te rm in at io n cl ai m , an d fo un d th at th e Ci ty’ s li ab il it y in su ran ce di d no t waiv e th e Ci ty’ s so ve rei gn im m un it y fro m to rt li ab il it y

. F o r t h is

reas on , th e di st ric t co ur t gr an te d su m m ary jud gm en t to th e Ci ty on Po rte r’s to rt- ba se d

wro ng fu l t erm in at io n c la im

.

Po rte r ap pe al s on ly two of th e di st ric t cou rt’s fin di ng s. Firs t, she ap pe al s th e di sm is sa l of he r co nt ract -b as ed wro ng fu l te rm in at io n cl ai m , as se rti ng th at th e di st ric t

c o u rt erre d in fin di ng th at sh e fai le d to pr od uc e ev id en ce of an en fo rcea bl e

em pl oym en t co nt ract

. Seco nd
, s h e a p p eal s th e di sm is sa l of he r ret al ia ti on cl ai m s,
arg ui ng th at th e d i s t r i c t co ur t erre d in fin di ng th at th ere was no cau sa l co nn ect io n be twee n h er J ul y

26 , 20 06 , let te r to th e ci ty atto rn ey an d h er t erm in at io n.

II.

“ Su m m ary jud gm en t is ap pr op ria te whe n th ere are no ge nu in e is su es of

m at eri al fact
, an d th e m ov in g pa rty is en ti tl ed to jud gm en t a s a m at te r of la w.”
Bea rd en v. In t’l Pap er Co
., 52 9 F

. 3 d 8 2 8, 83 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). “ W e rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t’s gr an t of su m m ary jud gm en t de no vo an d vi ew th e ev id en ce in th e li gh t

m os t fa vo rab le to th e n on m ov in g p art y .” Id

.

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-III.

The di st ric t co ur t’s su mm ary jud gm en t or de rs di sm is si ng Po rte r’s co nt ract

ba se d wro ng fu l t erm in at io n cl ai m are affi rm ed

. Alt ho ug h Po rte r br ou gh t wro ng fu l

te rm in at io n clai m s bas ed on to rt and co nt ract th eo rie s, sh e co nc ed es th at th e Ci ty is

so ve r e ig nl y im m

un e fro m to rt li ab il it y

. The refo re, th e on ly wro ng fu l te rm in at io n is su e on ap pe al is whe th er th e di st ric t co ur t co rrec tl y fo un d th at Po rte r fai le d to sh ow th at sh e h ad an en fo rcea bl e em pl oym en t co nt ract

.

Mi ss ou ri l aw req ui res co nt ract s wi th m un ic ip al it ie s to be in writ in g, an d i t i s

un di sp ut ed th at Po rte r n ev er ha d a writ te n em pl oym en t co nt ract

. Mo

. Rev

. St at

. § 43 2.0 70

. The do ct rin e of su bs ta nt ia l co m pl ia nc e, ho wev er, ap pl ie s whe re th e te rm s

o f a co nt ract are m em or ia li zed in an al te rn at iv e fo rm , su ch as in th e m in ut es of a bo ard m eet in g. See Fi rs t Nat’l Ban k of St ou tl an d v. St ou tl an d Sch

. Dis t. R2
, 31 9 S.W .3d 57 0, 57 3 (Mo

. 19 58 ). Not wit hs ta nd in g th is do ct rin e, th e reco rd is de vo id of

an y m eet in g m in ut es or ot he r pr oo f in di cat in g th at P o r t e r ha d an em pl oym en t

co nt ract

. W it ho ut su ch ev id en ce, th e Ci ty was en ti tl ed to su m m ary jud gm en t on Po rte r’s wro ng fu l te rm in at io n cl ai m

. W e de cl in e to ad dr es s Po rt er’s arg um en t th at sh e

was te rm in at ed in a pr oc ed ur al ly de fic ie nt m an ne r un de r Lak e Lot awan a Ci ty Co de § 11 5.0 40 be cau se , wit ho ut an en fo rcea bl e co nt ract or a vi ab le to rt cl ai m , no rel ie f

can be gra nt ed

.

IV.

The di sm is sa l of Po rte r’s ret al ia ti on cl ai m s is affi rm ed be cau se no th in g in th e

reco rd in di cat es th at Po rte r’s op po si ti on to un la wfu l di sc riminat io n was a

co nt r i b ut in g fact or in he r te rm in at io n. The MHRA pr ov id es th at “ [i]t sh al l be an

un la wfu l di sc riminat or y pr act ic e

. . . [t]o ret al ia te or di sc riminat e in an y m an ne r
ag ai ns t an y ot he r pe rs on be cau se su ch pe rs on ha s op po se d an y pr act ic e pr oh ib it ed by

t h i s c ha pt er

. . . .” Mo

. Rev

. St at

. § 21 3.0 70 (2 ). A pl ai nt iff pr oc eed in g u n d e r t h i s

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-se ct io n m

us t pr ov e th at he r op po si ti on to un la wfu l di sc riminat io n was a co nt rib ut in g f a c t or in th e ad ve rs e em

pl oym en t de ci si on of he r em pl oyer. See W al la ce v. DTG Ope rat io ns , In c., 56 3 F.3 d 35 7, 36 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (ci ti ng Hil l v. Fo rd Mo t o r C o ., 27 7 S.W .3d 65 9, 66 5 (Mo . 2 00 9) ). Thi s st a n da rd is m or e le ni en t th an th e st an da rd
ap pl ie d in Tit le VII an d ADEA ret al ia ti on cas es , in whi ch a pl ai nt iff m us t pr ov e th at he r op po si ti on to un la wfu l di sc riminat io n was th e “ bu t fo r” cau se of th e em pl oyer’s ad ve rs e act io n. See Cl ark v. Mat th ews In te rn

. Co rp ., 63 9 F.3 d 39 1, 3 9 8 ( 8 t h Ci r. 20 11 ). In de ed , u nd er Mi ss ou ri la w, P or te r can r e c o v e r s o lo ng as he r co m pl ai nt of di sc riminat io n was “ a reas on ” fo r he r te rm in at io n, whe reas un de r fed eral la w, Po rte r

can reco ve r on ly if he r co m pl ai nt of d i sc riminat io n was “ th e reas on ” fo r he r
te rm in at io n. Id .; Wall ace, 5 63 F.3d at 3 60

.

To su rv iv e su m

m ary jud gm en t on he r MHRA ret al ia ti on cl ai m , Po rte r m us t sh ow th a t a ge nu in e is su e of fact ex is ts as to whe th er he r le tt er to th e ci ty at to rn ey

was a co nt rib ut in g fact o r i n he r te rm in at io n. See Dau gh ert y v. Ci ty of Mar y la nd Heig ht s, 23 1 S.W .3d 81 4, 82 0 (Mo

. 20 07 ). The reco rd i n d i c at es th at Po rte r was
te rm in at ed be c a u s e o f he r in ap pr op ria te act iv it ie s. Po rte r’s po si ti on th at sh e was
te rm in at ed fo r pe nn in g a le tt e r to th e ci ty at to rn ey in whi ch sh e co m pl ai ne d of di sc riminat io n is on ly pl au si bl e if th e de ci si on m ak ers ha d kn owl ed ge of he r le tt er

an d it s co nt en ts

. Van Hoo k an d th e al de rm en who vo te d to te rm in at e Po rte r pr ov id ed

swo rn te st im on y th at th ey were t o t a l l y u n aware th at Po rte r ha d ev er ex pr es se d an y

co nc ern s ab ou t di sc riminat io n whe n th ey vo te d in fav or of te rm in at io n. Po rte r of fers

no ev id en ce con tro ve rti ng th at te st im on y

. The refo re, no reas on ab le jury co ul d fi nd th at Po rte r’s op po si ti on to un la wfu l di sc riminat io n pl ay ed an y ro le in he r di sc ha rg e. Co ns eq ue nt ly, su m

m ary jud gm en t o n Po rte r’s MHRA ret al ia ti on cl ai m was
ap pr op ria te

.

Fo r th e sa m e reas on th at Po rte r do e s n o t su ccee d un de r th e m or e le ni en t MHRA an al y si s, sh e can no t su ccee d un de r th e m or e st rin ge nt st an da rd ap pl ie d in Tit le VII an d ADEA ret al ia ti o n c a s e s

. See Ro bi ns on v. Po rte r, 45 3 F.3 d 99 0, 99 4

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-(8 th Ci r. 20 06 ) (h ol di ng th at th e cau sa ti on el em en t o f t he pr im a faci e cas e req ui res

pr oo f th at de ci si on m ak er was aware of pl a i n t iff ’s pr ot ect ed act iv it y at ti m e of ad ve rs e em

pl oym en t act io n)

. Acco rd in gl y , su m m ary jud gm en t on Po rte r’s Tit le VII

an d ADEA ret al ia ti on cla im s was pro pe r.

Fo r al l of th e reas on s se t fo rth ab ov e , t he di st ric t co ur t’s or de rs gr an ti ng

su m m ary jud gm en t an d jud gm en t on th e pl ead in gs in fav or of th e Ci ty an d Van Hoo k

are a ffi rm ed

.

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