Opinion ID: 53142
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Jury Verdict on Sexual Harassment Claim

Text: Finally, Merriman challenges the final judgment that the district court entered on the jury verdict. Throughout her brief, she makes a variety of claims questioning the sufficiency of the evidence underlying the jury verdict. Merriman claims that the Postal Service failed to “take prompt or appropriate 8 No. 06-41400 immediate action to ensure the safety and welfare of its female employee” and that her supervisor, Hobson, “failed to act to prevent or discontinue any similar gestures or remarks.” Because Merriman failed to move for a directed verdict or judgment notwithstanding the verdict, the verdict is reviewed under an “any evidence” standard. Hinojosa, 834 F.2d at 1228. The record easily meets this standard. For example, the jury could have credited Hobson’s own testimony, in which she testified about a meeting she held immediately following Merriman’s report of the April 13, 2000 incident. At that meeting, Hobson told all the facility’s mail handlers that “this type of behavior would not be tolerated.” The jury could have found this to be sufficient evidence of the Postal Service adequately responding to Merriman’s complaints. The Postal Service objects to this claim on the basis that Merriman failed to comply with the requirement that a sufficiency of the evidence claim must include in the record “all evidence relevant.” See FED. R. APP. P. 10(b)(2). Regardless of whether Merriman complied with this rule, the evidence she did offer in her record excerpts easily satisfies the “any evidence” standard of review.