Opinion ID: 764849
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Commissioner Halloway's Allegations of Age Discrimination and Harassment

Text: 6 Commissioner Halloway brought this action against officials of the State of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County and officials of Milwaukee County. 1 He alleges that the defendants took adverse employment action against him because of his age, that they created a hostile working environment on account of his age, and that their actions deprived him of equal protection and due process of law. 7 Commissioner Halloway alleges that on November 12, 1992, and January 27, 1993, Chief Judge Sheedy ordered him to make rulings that Commissioner Halloway believed were contrary to law. Specifically, he alleges that Chief Judge Sheedy ordered him to send repeat defendants in operating-while-intoxicated cases to a private correctional facility before they had counsel to represent them. Commissioner Halloway believed that such action violated the defendants' Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Commissioner Halloway complained about Chief Judge Sheedy's order. He alleges that, after he complained about the Chief Judge's order and after he failed to comply with that order, the defendants began encouraging him to retire. 8 Commissioner Halloway further alleges that, on January 4, 1994, defendant Deputy Chief Judge Thomas Doherty, who was the acting chief judge at the time, asked him to retire and to take a magistrate position. 2 He alleges that, when he declined the offer, the Deputy Chief Judge became angry. After the conversation, Commissioner Halloway contacted Chief Judge Sheedy's son and asked him to reach Chief Judge Sheedy, who was vacationing in Florida at the time. When Chief Judge Sheedy returned, he promised Commissioner Halloway that he would remain in his current position throughout 1994. 9 On July 14, 1994, defendant Lead Commissioner Frank Liska encouraged Commissioner Halloway to accept Judge Doherty's recommendation. Commissioner Halloway further alleges that on July 27, 1994, Commissioner Liska harassed Commissioner Halloway by admonishing Commissioner Halloway to keep his courtroom door open to the public. 10 On August 15, 1994, Chief Judge Sheedy, contrary to his earlier promise that Commissioner Halloway could remain in the position that he was in, rotated Commissioner Halloway to a floater position, effective September 6, 1994. The parties dispute whether this position was created for Commissioner Halloway. Commissioner Halloway was initially told that he would be assigned a former utility room without a separate telephone line as his chambers. After Commissioner Halloway complained, he was given a different office that he found to be very nice. R.32, Ex.D at 219 (Halloway deposition). Commissioner Liska and two other commissioners have subsequently used the office that Commissioner Halloway rejected. For a brief time after Commissioner Halloway moved into the new office, he had no clerical support, no name plate and no computer access. He was also told that he would receive daily assignments from a deputy sheriff, or that the assignments would be taped to his door. His previous courtroom reporter was reassigned. However, the other commissioners who rotated into the small claims or floater position were similarly not allowed the same courtroom reporter that other commissioners were allowed. Since that time, Commissioner Halloway has rotated into other divisions. 11 Commissioner Halloway also claims that on January 3, 1995, Commissioner Liska badgered him about retiring. Commissioner Liska said to Commissioner Halloway, Why don't you retire, I would retire if I could and Will it take a medic to carry you off the bench? Commissioner Halloway replied that it would take an undertaker, to which Commissioner Liska responded, We're planning big things for you. R.43, para.19. 12 While Commissioner Halloway was presiding in Traffic Court on February 8, 1995, Commissioner Liska ordered Commissioner Halloway to leave and refused to explain why. The parties now agree that this action was taken because Commissioner Liska believed that Commissioner Halloway had reset bail for bailees whose bail had already been set. The tense exchange led Commissioner Halloway to suffer an anxiety attack and he required hospitalization. The next day Commissioner Liska joked about Commissioner Halloway's having a heart attack. In response to a question regarding whether Commissioner Halloway had died, Commissioner Liska responded that he wasn't that lucky. R.32, Ex.F at 15. 13 Commissioner Halloway filed an age discrimination complaint on March 5, 1995, with the Equal Rights Division of what was then known as the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations of the State of Wisconsin. On June 14, 1996, The Equal Rights Division issued an initial finding of probable cause on Commissioner Halloway's discrimination complaint against Milwaukee County, Chief Judge Sheedy and Commissioner Liska. 14 Commissioner Halloway alleges that he has also been the subject of harassment after commencement of this lawsuit. As an example, he claims that the defendants engaged in monitoring his activity in the courtroom and the amounts of bail that he set. Finally, in his affidavit Commissioner Halloway alleged that Gary Barczak and George Rice had told him that some of the defendants had stated to Barczak and Rice that they wanted to force Commissioner Halloway from office. The district court excluded this evidence on hearsay grounds. Commissioner Halloway alleged that Rice, who was a former Milwaukee County Corporation Counsel office member, told Commissioner Halloway that Chief Judge Sheedy, Judge Doherty, Commissioner Liska and former district court administrator Witkowiak had discussed how to force Commissioner Halloway to retire so that they could create a position for George Greene. Greene had recently lost his judgeship in an election. Commissioner Halloway also claims that Barczak, who is the former Milwaukee Clerk of Courts, stated that he heard Chief Judge Sheedy, Judge Doherty, Commissioner Liska and former justice system review coordinator Harvey discuss how to force Commissioner Halloway out of office.