Opinion ID: 165200
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Summary Judgment on Wrongful Termination Claim

Text: 18 The District Court granted the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Ms. Allan's wrongful termination claim, finding that the UADA preempts her common-law wrongful termination claim. Ms. Allan argues on appeal that this ruling was in error. We need not reach the merits of this question, however, because the jury's verdict, which found that Ms. Allan was not terminated, moots the issue. 19 The Utah Supreme Court has adopted a four-part test for establishing a prima facie claim of wrongful termination. See Ryan v. Dan's Food Stores, Inc., 972 P.2d 395, 404 (Utah 1998). The first part of this test requires that an employee must show ... that his employer terminated him. Id. Here, the jury considered this question and returned a special verdict specifically finding that Ms. Allan was not terminated. As such, we face a jury's finding of fact that negates an essential element of Ms. Allan's wrongful termination claim, and therefore Ms. Allan cannot prevail on this claim even if it is not preempted by the UADA. 20 The Second Circuit addressed a similar issue in Medforms, Inc. v. Healthcare Mgmt. Solutions, Inc., 290 F.3d 98, 115 (2d Cir.2002). In Medforms, the defendant argued that the district court erred in granting plaintiff summary judgment on its work made for hire affirmative defense to plaintiff's infringement claim. Id. The Second Circuit held that because it sustained the jury's verdict finding no infringement, the legal argument made at the summary judgment stage was moot with regard to the infringement claims. Id. 21 We find this analysis persuasive and apply it here. Because the jury found that Ms. Allan was not terminated — a necessary element of a wrongful termination claim — the question whether the District Court's ruling that the UADA preempts Ms. Allan's wrongful termination claim is moot.