Court Opinion

ID: 9474693
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 05:06:01.517068+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:44:16.464068
License: Public Domain

WIDENER, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
We have only this day held in Dixon v. Westinghouse Electric Corp., 787 F.2d 943 that the cause involved here may not be prosecuted on account of failure to file, as note 4, p. 5, in this opinion acknowledges.
I suggest that Title VII does not, over objection, intend to give investigatory subpoena authority to the EEOC for a charge which admittedly may not be prosecuted on account of the lapse of time. The holding of the majority leaves the way open for the EEOC to exercise its subpoena power to investigate any charge of a Title VII violation no matter how stale. More importantly, it leaves the district courts powerless to intervene. The fact that years may have passed without any recognition or notification of a claim makes no difference, for the mere fact that a claim is made under the majority holding is sufficient to require the enforcement of a subpoena. I do not believe the statute was intended to go so far.
I would reverse.