Opinion ID: 785160
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Waiver of After-Acquired Evidence Theory

Text: 6 Initially, we reject Sellers' argument that the Secretary waived this issue by failing to raise it before the district court. Even if the after-acquired evidence theory advanced by the Secretary is an affirmative defense that must be pleaded, as claimed by Sellers, clearly the Secretary cannot be expected to raise the defense in an answer filed over two years prior to the events giving rise to the defense. Further, the Secretary filed a Motion For a Stay of Proceedings within days of learning of the events, alerting the court that it was investigating alleged wrongdoing as the basis for Sellers' termination from Bank of America and noting that the events would have a direct impact on the issues of reinstatement and front pay. A significant portion of the November 1991 hearing was devoted to testimony about the events surrounding Sellers' termination from the bank and how those events affected the FAA's consideration of reinstating Sellers. ( See Appellant's App. at 46-47, 189-93, 211-14, 225-26.) The district court specifically found that Sellers was terminated from the bank for the misconduct. That misconduct formed the basis for the FAA's decision not to offer reinstatement to Sellers in April 2001. (D. Ct. Order at 6.) In these circumstances, although the Secretary did not cite the specific legal theory to the district court, we conclude that he sufficiently raised the issue before the district court to allow us to consider it on appeal. See Sexton v. Martin, 210 F.3d 905, 914 n. 8 (8th Cir.2000) (reaching issue where facts were alleged in district court brief though controlling authority was not); Stockmen's Livestock Market, Inc. v. Norwest Bank of Sioux City, N.A., 135 F.3d 1236, 1243 n. 4 (8th Cir.1998) (reaching issue encompassed in general argument made before district court where party advancing argument did not present new evidence on appeal and both parties briefed the issue on appeal).