Opinion ID: 65419
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Does Collateral Estoppel Bar Cox's Claims?

Text: The parties concede, under Supreme Court authority, that collateral estoppel does not apply to state administrative decisions where Congress has provided for a detailed administrative remedy such as that found in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Astoria Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. Solimino, 501 U.S. 104, 110-14, 111 S.Ct. 2166, 115 L.Ed.2d 96 (1991). The ADEA has an anti-retaliation section which was arguably implicated by Cox's complaint that she was discharged in retaliation for filing her original complaint under the ADEA. See 29 U.S.C. § 623(d). Defendants contend that Cox failed to raise this issue in the district court, but we note that she did raise it, albeit not in great detail. [3] Thus, we conclude that Cox's claims based upon the ADEA anti-retaliation provisions are not barred by collateral estoppel. Cox's remaining claims that were not addressed by the jury verdict center on the alleged wrongfulness of her discharge. Other than the ADEA retaliation claim, they are barred by the preclusive effect of the MESC finding regarding the reason for her discharge. In her reply brief, Cox claims that the MESC finding, even if true, would not prevent her claims because her discharge could have been caused by a mixed motiveher misconduct and a protected reason. At oral argument and by subsequent letter to the court, her attorney conceded that he could not point to any place where a mixed-motive claim was raised in the district court. [4] See Turner v. Baylor Richardson Med. Ctr., 476 F.3d 337, 344 n. 3 (5th Cir.2007) (It is well settled that we do not consider issues raised for the first time on appeal.). Additionally, we customarily do not consider an appeal point raised for the first time in a reply brief. Carmona v. Southwest Airlines Co., 536 F.3d 344, 347 n. 5 (5th Cir.2008). Thus, we do not reach the question of whether a mixed-motive claim would survive the MESC finding in this case.