Opinion ID: 2151691
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: termination as violative of public policy

Text: On appeal, Dossett claims that the district court erred in sustaining the bank's demurrer regarding the adequacy of the allegations in her petition pertaining to an alleged violation of public policy. Dossett alleged that the termination of her employment resulted from the exercise of free speech and that her termination violated public policy. For the first time, on appeal, she argues in her brief that the termination of her employment violates the public policy embodied in Nebraska's public meetings law, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 84-1408 (Reissue 1999). It is well settled that the purpose of the public meetings law is to ensure that public policy is formulated at open meetings. See Marks v. Judicial Nominating Comm., 236 Neb. 429, 461 N.W.2d 551 (1990). Dossett did not identify this public policy in her petition, nor did she raise an issue regarding the formulation of public policy at open meetings in argument before the district court. This court has previously indicated that an appellate court will not consider an issue on appeal that was not passed upon by the trial court. Prucha v. Kahlandt, 260 Neb. 366, 618 N.W.2d 399 (2000); Torres v. Aulick Leasing, 258 Neb. 859, 606 N.W.2d 98 (2000). Accordingly, we do not consider this argument further on appeal.