Opinion ID: 691401
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Retroactive application of the Civil Rights Act of 1991

Text: 128 Appellants contend that to the extent the district court awarded compensatory and punitive damages to appellees pursuant to Title VII, this court must reverse based upon the lower court's erroneous retroactive application of the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Because two cases were pending before the Supreme Court on this issue, we waited for the Supreme Court rulings. The Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1991 does not apply to cases that arose before its enactment. Landgraf v. USI Film Products, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 1483, 128 L.Ed.2d 229 (1994); Rivers v. Roadway Express, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 1510, 128 L.Ed.2d 274 (1994). Accordingly, the district court is reversed for applying the 1991 Civil Rights Act retroactively. Appellants are correct that circuit precedent mandates that the Civil Rights Act of 1991 is not to be applied retroactively, and that Title VII prior to the 1991 amendments did not allow compensatory and/or punitive damages. E.g. Goldsmith v. City of Atmore, 996 F.2d 1155, 1159 (11th Cir.1993). Thus, as to any compensatory or punitive damage awards against the state of Alabama or Horsley, Poundstone, and Stricklin in their official capacity, we reverse such awards. Nevertheless, the district court's award of compensatory and punitive damages to appellees remains as against Horsley, Poundstone, and Stricklin in their individual capacities pursuant to section 1983. E.g. Walker v. Ford Motor Co., 684 F.2d 1355, 1363 n. 13 (11th Cir.1982).