Court Opinion

ID: 9389483
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-25 18:01:39.948758+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:28.161006
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-60407         Document: 00516724685             Page: 1      Date Filed: 04/25/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit                                        United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit

                                      ____________                                     FILED
                                                                                   April 25, 2023
                                       No. 22-60407                               Lyle W. Cayce
                                      ____________                                     Clerk

   Melody Laury,

                                                                     Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                             versus

   Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services,

                                                Defendant—Appellee.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                        for the Southern District of Mississippi
                                USDC No. 3:21-CV-712
                      ______________________________

   Before Elrod, Ho, and Wilson, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Plaintiff Melody Laury brought suit against her employer, Defendant
   Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, alleging that she was paid
   less than a coworker because of her race. Defendant moved for summary
   judgment. Applying the familiar burden-shifting framework from McDonnell
   Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973), the district court first determined
   that Laury established a prima facie case of race discrimination. The district

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-60407     Document: 00516724685           Page: 2   Date Filed: 04/25/2023

                                   No. 22-60407

   court   then    determined      that       Defendant   proffered   legitimate,
   nondiscriminatory reasons for the pay disparity. Finally, the district court
   determined that Laury failed to present any evidence whatsoever suggesting
   that Defendant’s reasons were pretextual.         The district court granted
   summary judgment in Defendant’s favor. Laury’s only argument on appeal
   is that she did not bear the burden of proof as to pretext at summary
   judgment. That argument is clearly foreclosed by both Supreme Court and
   circuit precedent. See, e.g., Raytheon Co. v. Hernandez, 540 U.S. 44, 49 n.3
   (2003); Alvarado v. Texas Rangers, 492 F.3d 605, 611 (5th Cir. 2007). See also
   Gray v. Mississippi Dep’t of Rehab. Servs., 2023 WL 119636 (5th Cir. 2023).
   Accordingly, we affirm.

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