Opinion ID: 1861109
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: According to the federal district court's certification order, U.T. hired Haley as an Associate Professor of Management in 2000. The position had a three-year probationary period, with consideration for tenure no later than the end of the 2001-02 academic year. Haley applied for tenure and promotion in the 2001-02 academic year. She was denied tenure and promotion on May 28, 2002. Haley filed an action against U.T. in the federal district court on May 23, 2003, alleging a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, based on gender and national origin discrimination. Haley also alleged a violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 by the Dean of the Business College. On April 21, 2004, Haley filed a claim for breach of contract with the Tennessee Claims Commission. In addition, she has also filed a complaint in the Knox County Chancery Court alleging a violation of the Tennessee Human Rights Act. On June 4, 2004, U.T. filed a motion in federal district court to dismiss Haley's claim on the ground that the district court lacked jurisdiction, because by filing a claim with the Tennessee Claims Commission, Haley had waived all causes of action related to her failure to obtain tenure. The waiver provision of the Tennessee Claims Commission Act states: Claims against the state filed pursuant to subsection (a) shall operate as a waiver of any cause of action, based on the same act or omission, which the claimant has against any state officer or employee. The waiver is void if the commission determines that the act or omission was not within the scope of the officer's or employee's office or employment. Tenn.Code Ann. § 9-8-307(b) (Supp.2005). Later, on July 2, 2004, Haley withdrew her claim before the Claims Commission. The Commission entered an Order of Dismissal without Prejudice on August 19, 2004. U.T. argued to the district court that Haley's claim for breach of contract filed with the Claims Commission bars her suit in district court, even though the Claims Commission dismissed it without prejudice. The federal district court did not rule on the motion to dismiss the federal action. Instead, the federal court certified the following question to this Court: Does the withdrawal or voluntary non-suit of a claim filed with the Tennessee Claims Commission, done prior to any action being taken by the Claims Commission, still activate the waiver provision of Tennessee Code Annotated section 9-8-307(b) to require dismissal of a plaintiff's federal and/or state cause of action arising from the same act or omission as the claim before the Claims Commission? We accepted the certified question.