Opinion ID: 676598
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: THE EFFECT OF McKINNEY v. PATE

Text: 24 The defendants argue that the district court erred in allowing Narey's pretext claim to go to the jury, because the Plaintiff is attempting to state a substantive due process claim, and prior Supreme Court precedent compel[s] a holding by this Court that a deprivation of Plaintiff's state-created property interest in continued employment, without more, does not state a substantive due process violation. After oral argument in this appeal, this Court issued its opinion in McKinney v. Pate, 20 F.3d 1550 (11th Cir.1994) (en banc), which vindicates the defendants' position. 25 Prior to our decision in McKinney, the law in this Circuit was that  '[a] violation of a public employee's right to substantive due process occurs when an employer deprives the employee of a property interest for an improper motive and by means that [are] pretextual, arbitrary and capricious, regardless of whether or not a hearing was held.'  McKinney, 20 F.3d at 1558-59 (quoting Nolin v. Douglas County, 903 F.2d 1546, 1553-54 (11th Cir.1990)). In McKinney, we overruled the line of cases establishing that law, and held that an allegation of pretextual firing implicates only procedural due process concerns, and does not state a substantive due process claim. Id. at 1564-65. 26 Narey argues that the defendants waived this issue, because their argument was presented to the district court for the first time in a post-trial motion for judgment as a matter of law, instead of at trial. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(h)(2). In essence, Narey argues that the defendants are in the same position as if they had never raised the issue in the district court. It is true that appellate courts generally will not consider an issue or theory that was not raised in the district court. FDIC v. Verex Assurance, Inc., 3 F.3d 391, 395 (11th Cir.1993). However, this Court has identified five exceptions to that rule: 27 First, an appellate court will consider an issue not raised in the district court if it involves a pure question of law, and if refusal to consider it would result in a miscarriage of justice. Second, the rule may be relaxed where the appellant raises an objection to an order which he had no opportunity to raise at the district court level. Third, the rule does not bar consideration by the appellate court in the first instance where the interest of substantial justice is at stake. Fourth, a federal appellate court is justified in resolving an issue not passed on below ... where the proper resolution is beyond any doubt. Finally, it may be appropriate to consider an issue first raised on appeal if that issue presents significant questions of general impact or of great public concern. 28 Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. v. Fernandez, 741 F.2d 355, 360-61 (11th Cir.1984) (footnotes and citations omitted); see also In re Daikin Miami Overseas, Inc., 868 F.2d 1201, 1207 (11th Cir.1989). At the least, the proper resolution of this issue is now beyond any doubt. We therefore choose to exercise our discretion to consider this issue. See United States v. Southern Fabricating Co., 764 F.2d 780, 781 (11th Cir.1985) (observing that [t]he decision whether to consider an argument raised for the first time on appeal is left to the appellate court's discretion). 29 Under McKinney, a pretextual adverse job action claim implicates only procedural, not substantive, due process protection. 20 F.3d at 1561; see also Cummings v. DeKalb County, 24 F.3d 1349, 1354 (11th Cir.1994) (holding that a substantive due process claim for pretextual deprivation of employment is precluded by McKinney ). The Due Process Clause entitles an employee who alleges that the reasons given for the deprivation of a property interest are pretextual to receive adequate procedural protection both before and after the deprivation. Id. at 1565. 30 Prior to an adverse job action, a public employee with a property interest in his job  'is entitled to oral or written notice of the charges against him, an explanation of the employer's evidence, and an opportunity to present his side of the story.'  Id. at 1561 (quoting Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v. Loudermill, 470 U.S. 532, 546, 105 S.Ct. 1487, 1495, 84 L.Ed.2d 494 (1985)). As we stated in McKinney, the pre-termination hearing is not a mini-trial and 'need not definitely resolve the propriety of the discharge. It should be an initial check against mistaken decisions--essentially, a determination of whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that the charges against the employee are true and support the proposed action.'  Id. at 1561 (quoting Loudermill, 470 U.S. at 545-46, 105 S.Ct. at 1495). It is undisputed that Narey was given a list of the charges against him prior to the pre-termination hearing conducted by Dr. Gates, along with a lengthy discussion of the evidence. It is also undisputed that he had an opportunity to tell Dr. Gates his side of the story. Narey therefore received a pre-termination hearing with all the process due under Loudermill. Id. at 1562. 31 Narey argues, however, that Gates, the decisionmaker, acted in concert with Dean and Moss in demoting him for pretextual reasons--that the decisionmaker at his pre-termination hearing was biased. Where such bias is alleged, it is only the state's refusal to provide a means to correct any error resulting from the bias [that] would engender a procedural due process violation. McKinney, 20 F.3d at 1563. The question, therefore, is whether the state provided Narey with the means to present his allegations, to demonstrate that his demotion was pretextual, and to receive redress from that biased decision. Id. at 1562. In McKinney, we held that the review available in the Florida courts, which have the power to review employment termination cases for due process violations, more than satisfies that requirement. Id. at 1563. The Georgia Code provides for the same sort of review in Georgia state courts; decisions of the State Personnel Board may be appealed to the superior court of the county of the place of employment, and [t]he court may reverse the decision or order of the board if substantial rights of the petitioner have been prejudiced because the board's findings, inferences, conclusions, decisions, or orders are ... [i]n violation of constitutional or statutory provisions. O.C.G.A. Sec. 45-20-9(m) (1990); see also State Personnel Bd. v. Morton, 198 Ga.App. 845, 403 S.E.2d 455, 458 (1991) (reversing a State Personnel Board decision for failure to give employee due process). Not only did the state allow Narey an appeal to the State Personnel Board; it also allowed an appeal to state courts to review the decision of the Board for constitutional violations. Furthermore, the post-deprivation remedies available under Georgia law are adequate; the State Personnel Board, and the state courts upon reviewing the Board's decision, have the power to grant reinstatement and to compensate employees for back wages and other lost benefits. See Department of Corrections v. Colbert, 202 Ga.App. 27, 413 S.E.2d 498, 500 (1991) (discussing procedure for presenting claim for back pay and other benefits); Georgia Dept. of Labor v. Sims, 164 Ga.App. 856, 298 S.E.2d 562, 563 (1982) (awarding reinstatement and back pay to terminated employee). Narey, like McKinney, did not take advantage of the opportunity for state court review, and cannot now claim that the state deprived him of procedural due process. 1