Opinion ID: 1468712
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Excluded Testimony Concerning Plaintiff's Prior Claims of Race Discrimination

Text: Before trial, defendant filed a motion in limine seeking to exclude any testimony or documentary presentation regarding the factual claims and allegations that Plaintiff asserted in a prior lawsuit against TDOT. The prior lawsuit was between the same parties and contained claims of discrimination in the form of disparate discipline, unfair job assignments, and racial harassment. Defendant was granted summary judgment in that case because plaintiff failed to file a timely response to defendant's motion for summary judgment. Specifically, defendant sought to exclude in this case factual evidence involved in the prior action regarding discipline that was or was not imposed by plaintiff's then-supervisor, Wayne Yocum. Plaintiff opposed the motion, arguing that a supervisor's discriminatory animus may be imputed to the neutral decision-maker concerning the promotion. The district court granted defendant's motion to prohibit plaintiff from introducing evidence as it relates to facts and allegations involved in the prior case. The district court found evidence concerning Yocum's bias toward plaintiff was not relevant to this action because it was resolved in defendant's favor in the prior action and could not be imputed to the decisionmakers in this case because Yocum was not plaintiff's supervisor at the time he applied for the Highway Maintenance County Supervisor position. The district court also ruled that even if relevant, such evidence should be excluded under Rule 403 as more prejudicial than probative. On appeal, plaintiff argues that the trial court committed reversible error by excluding evidence of his former supervisor's discriminatory animus and motive toward African-Americans. Plaintiff argues that this disparate treatment in discipline by his former supervisor is relevant in the current proceeding because Yocum's conduct marred his work record and his opportunity for promotion. Plaintiff is not seeking to relitigate the claims from the earlier suit. Plaintiff seeks only to demonstrate that certain conduct and actions of his supervisor at that time impacted his work record and promotion chances; and such evidence is, therefore, relevant in this case. We agree with plaintiff. Contrary to defendant's argument, collateral estoppel does not bar evidence of plaintiff's former supervisor's animus that may have adversely impacted his work record and chances for promotion because the judgment in the first lawsuit was not on the merits. [8] The judgment was not a dismissal on the merits, but a dismissal for failure to prosecute. Issue preclusion, or collateral estoppel, bars subsequent relitigation of a fact or issue where that fact or issue was necessarily adjudicated in a prior cause of action and the same fact or issue is presented in a subsequent suit. See Restatement (Second) of Judgments § 13 (1982) (for purposes of issue preclusion ..., `final judgment' includes any prior adjudication of an issue in another action that is determined to be sufficiently firm to be accorded conclusive effect.); Restatement (Second) of Judgments § 27 (1982) (When an issue of fact or law is actually litigated and determined by a valid and final judgment, and the determination is essential to the judgment, the determination is conclusive in a subsequent action between the parties, whether on the same or a different claim.). Four specific requirements must be met before collateral estoppel may be applied to bar litigation of an issue: (1) the precise issue must have been raised and actually litigated in the prior proceedings; (2) the determination of the issue must have been necessary to the outcome of the prior proceedings; (3) the prior proceedings must have resulted in a final judgment on the merits; and (4) the party against whom estoppel is sought must have had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue in the prior proceeding. N.A.A. C.P., Detroit Branch v. Detroit Police Officers Ass'n, 821 F.2d 328, 330 (6th Cir.1987). In determining whether the defensive use of collateral estoppel is appropriate, the court must also consider whether the party against whom the judgment is pled had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue, and whether it would be otherwise unfair under the circumstances to permit the use of collateral estoppel. Restatement (Second) Judgments § 29 (1982). It is clear that the prior lawsuit was dismissed for plaintiff's failure to respond to the summary judgment motion. Even if it can be argued that the dismissal was plaintiff's fault because he had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue and did not exercise it, there is no question that the suit was dismissed without a judgment on the merits and without a decision on any issue apart from plaintiff's failure to prosecute the prior lawsuit. For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court is reversed and the case remanded to the district court for proceedings consistent with this opinion.