Opinion ID: 175190
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: cwpa claim

Text: As previously noted, in his amended complaint Montaño asserted claims under the CWPA against every defendant. Each of the six Lab management defendants moved for summary judgment on these claims, and the district court granted summary judgment to Chatterjee and Reed. However, the district court denied summary judgment to Marquez, Bretzke, Brown, and Barr because of inadequate briefing, and remanded those claims to state court, along with the remaining CWPA claim Montaño asserted against the University. Because “Montaño is not pursuing his CWPA claim against Ms. Chatterjee on appeal,” Aplt. Br. at 4 n.1, we need only consider his CWPA claim against Reed. Unfortunately, however, Montaño fails to address the CWPA in any meaningful manner. Indeed, Montaño’s only substantive discussion of the CWPA appears in a footnote to his reply brief wherein he contends that “[a]lthough the First Amendment and CWPA claims differ in their elements and burdens of proof, the same standard applies for determining supervisory liability on both claims, so that a separate argument as to the CWPA claim is not required on appeal.” Reply Br. at 30 n.19. Because Montaño has failed to provide any authority which supports his contention, we conclude that his failure to address the CWPA in his opening brief constitutes a waiver of this issue. See Adler, 144 F.3d at 679 (“Arguments inadequately briefed in the opening brief are waived[.]”). 39