Opinion ID: 195629
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Fifth Amendment Claim: Denial of Pre-demotion Hearing

Text: 14 Lastly, Jirau insists that her procedural due process claim was improperly disallowed notwithstanding competent evidence that she was denied a pre-demotion hearing and that her assistant directorship constituted a cognizable property interest under Puerto Rico law. See Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v. Loudermill, 470 U.S. 532, 538, 105 S.Ct. 1487, 1491, 84 L.Ed.2d 494 (1985). We agree. 15 The magistrate-judge's report and recommendation apparently assumed, incorrectly, that what was perceived as a failure on Jirau's part to adduce sufficient evidence of discriminatory animus would warrant dismissal of her due process claim as well. Jirau would be entitled to a pre-demotion hearing were she to establish that she held a property right to her assistant directorship position, see Cotnoir v. University of Maine Systs., 35 F.3d 6, 10 (1st Cir.1994), an issue not reached by the district court. We therefore vacate the summary judgment and remand for further proceedings on the due process claim as well. See Nereida-Gonzalez, 990 F.2d at 706-07. 16 The district court judgment is vacated and the case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.