Opinion ID: 2296183
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Discharge by Champlin

Text: It is undisputed that Champlin's purported discharge of Kenyon was without authority. Section 9-1-7 of the Westerly Code provides that employees of the Department of Public Safety shall hold their respective offices during good behavior, until vacated by death, resignation, retirement, or removal for the good of the service by the council upon recommendation of their chief, director of public safety and the manager. Under this provision no authority may remove such an employee as Kenyon save the town council. However, Champlin was not named as a defendant, and his purported discharge triggered action by the Superior Court that reinstated Kenyon until a hearing was held by the council. Prior to the entry of the temporary order of the Superior Court, Kenyon's counsel had written to Champlin objecting to Kenyon's termination and requesting her immediate reinstatement with back pay and legal fees. He also sought a meeting to facilitate Kenyon's return to her duties. The following day Champlin upon the advice of the town solicitor, wrote a memo to the acting town manager in which he requested a hearing on his administrative action. The letter of Kenyon's counsel was dated August 3, 1993. On August 10, 1993, the Westerly Town Council met and agreed to conduct a hearing on August 26, 1993. Kenyon was notified of this hearing by letter dated August 12, 1993. The letter did not offer to reinstate Kenyon pending the hearing. The temporary restraining order was entered by a justice of the Superior Court on August 12, 1993. This order had the effect of reinstating Kenyon with back pay and benefits to the date of the discharge. Since Kenyon's purported discharge by the chief was invalid and since the council did not order her reinstated with pay pending the hearing, the action of the court was necessary in order to protect her right to a pretermination hearing. See Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill, 470 U.S. 532, 105 S.Ct. 1487, 84 L.Ed.2d 494 (1985). This action was properly taken under the provisions of 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Collins v. City of Harker Heights, Texas, 503 U.S. 115, 119-21, 112 S.Ct. 1061, 1065-66, 117 L.Ed.2d 261, 269-70 (1992); Monell v. Department of Social Services of the City of New York, 436 U.S. 658, 690-91, 98 S.Ct. 2018, 2035-36, 56 L.Ed.2d 611, 635 (1978), and therefore the trial justice was correct in holding that Kenyon was entitled to a counsel fee for such legal expense as may have been incurred in order to achieve her reinstatement, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988.