Opinion ID: 755554
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Second Trial on Damages

Text: 30 Kirsch rejected the remittitur award, and a new trial, limited to the issue of damages, was conducted before a second jury. Based on Kirsch's retirement in June 1994, the new jury was instructed to determine Kirsch's damages for the three-year period from June 1991 to June 1994. (This more accurate three-year period, rather than the three-year-and-one-month period referred to at earlier stages of the proceedings, was used because Kirsch's 1991 termination occurred at the end, not the beginning, of May.) 31 At the new trial, Kirsch attempted to introduce evidence of the 1991 salaries paid to Kedrus ($80,000, plus $15,000 in fringe benefits), Steven Haber ($162,600), and Alan Haber ($200,000), and the 1990 compensation of Bruce Lustig ($152,992), a salesperson who handled large, important accounts. The court ruled this evidence inadmissible because each of those persons, though having some sales responsibilities, held positions that were not sufficiently similar to that of Kirsch. The court ruled that Steven and Alan Haber's positions were not comparable for the additional reason that both were members of the family that owned and ran the company. 32 The second jury found that Kirsch's backpay damages totaled $95,000. Giving effect to the first jury's finding of willfulness, the court doubled that amount and entered judgment for $190,000, plus interest. As discussed in Part III.E. below, the court awarded Kirsch $89,475 in attorneys' fees. 33 Both sides have appealed. Kirsch contends principally that the district court erred in setting aside the first jury's damages award; he also challenges various rulings at each trial, as well as rulings with respect to the scope of relief. Defendants, on their cross-appeal, contend that Kirsch failed to present sufficient evidence to support several elements of his ADEA claim, thus entitling them to judgment as a matter of law. Because defendants' contentions, if meritorious, would dispose of most of the issues raised by Kirsch, we address the cross-appeal first. 34