Opinion ID: 1374778
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the anatomy of the federal-court litigation

Text: Brown was employed as a paralegal by Jon R. Ford Attorney, Inc. [Firm], presumably a professional corporation, from March 5, 1992 until July 16, 1992. During this period the Firm employed a maximum of five persons, including both Brown and Jon R. Ford [Ford]  the latter its sole shareholder. The plaintiff complains that during her employment Ford, without her consent, sexually touched her on several occasions. She eventually confronted him and requested that he discontinue the advances  which he did. Brown asserts that her rejection of his sexual advances motivated certain employment decisions that changed her earlier work requirements  i.e., created a hostile work environment  which ultimately led to her dismissal by the Firm. Brown brought suit against the Firm and Ford [defendants] for, among other things, sexual harassment, wrongful termination and sexual battery. After denying the defendants' quest for summary judgment, the federal court certified the questions now before us.