Court Opinion

ID: 9957627
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-04 18:00:56.225966+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:18:31.063580
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50258           Document: 48-1         Page: 1      Date Filed: 04/04/2024

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

                                                                                    FILED
                                   No. 23-50258                                   April 4, 2024
                                  ____________                                Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                   Clerk
Symon Mandawala,

                                                                 Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                         versus

Baptist School of Health Professions, All Counts,

                                            Defendant—Appellee.
                  ______________________________

                  Appeal from the United States District Court
                       for the Western District of Texas
                            USDC No. 5:19-CV-1415
                  ______________________________

Before Richman, Chief Judge, and Oldham and Ramirez, Circuit
Judges.
Per Curiam:*
      Symon Mandawala appeals the grant of summary judgment in favor of
Baptist School of Health Professions (BSHP) on his claims of intentional sex
discrimination under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title
IX) and breach of contract. He also appeals the denial of his motion for re-
consideration of the judgment. We affirm.

      _____________________
      *
          This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
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                                 No. 23-50258

                                       I.
        Mandawala was enrolled in the medical sonography program at
BSHP. After he failed to graduate, he sued BSHP and others asserting vari-
ous claims, including sex discrimination under Title IX and breach of con-
tract. He alleges that a female clinical instructor treated him differently than
the female students, gave him negative performance evaluations because of
his sex, told him the sonography program was better suited for women, and
requested he be transferred to another clinical site in exchange for a female
student. He also alleges that BSHP breached its contract with him by failing
to provide the necessary equipment and instruction to complete the program
and by changing course requirements without notice.
        After the district court dismissed all claims except for the breach of
contract and sex discrimination claims against BSHP, it entered a scheduling
order setting a discovery deadline of November 15, 2022, and a dispostive
motion deadline of November 30, 2022. On October 14, 2022, BSHP served
Mandawala with interrogatories and requests for production, and it re-
quested that he make himself available for deposition on or before November
15, 2022. Mandawala did not respond to the discovery requests or to the re-
quest for his deposition. He also did not serve any discovery requests on
BSHP.
        On November 29, 2022, Mandawala moved for judgment on the
pleadings, and BSHP moved for summary judgment on November 30, 2022.
BSHP argued it was entitled to summary judgment because the discovery
deadlines had passed, Mandawala had failed to respond to its discovery
requests or proffer any discovery requests of his own, and he could not offer
evidence to meet his burden of proof on any element of his sex discrimination
and breach of contract claims. It also moved for sanctions on Mandawala for

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his failure to cooperate in discovery and, in the alternative, to compel, to
extend time, and for a continuance.
      On December 2, 2022, BSHP received Mandawala’s interrogatory
responses. Seven days later, on December 9, 2022, Mandawala served BSHP
with responses to its requests for production. BSHP filed amended motions
for summary judgment on December 2 and December 14, 2022, respectively,
which noted its receipt of the discovery responses and included them as
exhibits. Other than noting and including Mandawala’s late discovery
responses, both amended motions are substantially the same as the initial
motion for summary judgment.
      Under the district’s local rules, which provide a 14-day deadline for
responses to dispostive motions, BSHP’s response to Mandawala’s motion
for judgment on the pleadings was due on December 13, 2022, and his
response to BSHP’s initial summary judgment motion was due on December
14. See W.D. Tex. Loc. R. CV-7(D)(2). After neither party filed a response,
the district court’s staff separately contacted them to determine the reason
for delay. Both parties stated that “they were under the impression that,
because [BSHP] amended its motion twice, the deadline to respond was two
weeks from the date the last amended motion was filed.” Because of this
confusion, the district court entered an order on December 16, 2022,
extending the deadline to file responsive briefs until December 19, 2022.
BSHP responded to the motion for judgment on the pleadings on the same
day, and Mandawala responded to the summary judgment motion on
December 19, 2022.
      Mandawala’s response did not address the merits of the summary
judgment motion. It instead argued that BSHP had abused the discovery
process by requesting information not relevant to his sex discrimination and
breach of contract claims and requesting documents it already possessed, and

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that it had filed untimely responsive pleadings. Mandawala did not rely on
any evidence to support his response.
      On December 21, 2022, the district court denied Mandawala’s motion
for judgment on the pleadings and granted in part and denied in part BSHP’s
summary judgment motion. It found that BSHP had met its summary
judgment burden by pointing to the absence of evidence to support the
elements of the sex discrimination and breach of contract claims, and that
Mandawala had failed to satisfy his burden to demonstrate a genuine dispute
of material fact. The district court explained that it had construed the
amended motions for summary judgment “as advisories notifying the Court
of Mandawala’s late filed discovery responses, not as summary judgment
evidence,” but even if the untimely discovery responses were considered,
they did not support the required elements of his claims.
      On December 22, 2022, Mandawala filed a motion for
reconsideration, and he filed an amended motion on December 27, 2022. He
argued that BSHP impeded his ability to gather evidence to support his case
by failing to return his telephone call about a discovery matter, he did not
have enough time to adequately respond to BSHP’s summary judgment
arguments or to include evidence with his response to the motion for
summary judgment, and the witnesses he intended to call at trial had
information that could have defeated the motion for summary judgment. He
attached new evidence to his motion for reconsideration, as well as the
subpoenas he had served on his witnesses.
      The district court construed Mandawala’s motion as a motion to alter
or amend a judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e) and denied
it. It found that Mandawala had ample opportunity and time to collect
evidence in discovery, depose witnesses, and prepare an adequate response
to the summary judgment motion. It also found that the new evidence was

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inadmissible for purposes of his Rule 59(e) motion because he failed to
request a continuance under Rule 56(d) at the time of summary judgment and
he did not show that the evidence was unavailable when he responded to the
summary judgment motion. Even if admissible, however, the evidence would
not have changed its summary judgment analysis.
                                             II.
        Mandawala first argues that the decision to grant summary judgment
was erroneous under Rule 56(d)(1) because the district court knew that both
parties had witnesses available to testify at trial, but no testimony from those
witnesses was included in the summary judgment record. He also argues that
BSHP’s summary judgment motion was filed in bad faith under Rule 56(h)
and included false claims about his misconduct in the program. Lastly, he
contends that the district court improperly denied his Rule 59(e) motion in
light of his new evidence.1
                                             A.
        “We review a grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same
standard as the district court.” Haverda v. Hays County, 723 F.3d 586, 591
(5th Cir. 2013) (citing Vaughn v. Woodforest Bank, 665 F.3d 632, 635 (5th Cir.
2011)). Summary judgment is appropriate “if the movant shows that there is
        _____________________
        1
           Although not listed in Mandawala’s brief, as required by Federal Rule of Appellate
Procedure 28(a)(5), the second and third issues are considered because both sides briefed
them. Grant v. Cuellar, 59 F.3d 523, 525 (5th Cir. 1995) (“This Court has discretion to
consider a noncompliant brief, and it has allowed pro se plaintiffs to proceed when the
plaintiff’s noncompliance did not prejudice the opposing party.”); see, e.g., Price v. Digital
Equip. Corp., 846 F.2d 1026, 1028 (5th Cir. 1988) (finding no prejudice from pro se
plaintiff’s noncompliance with Rule 28 where appellant had fully addressed the issue).
Because he failed to address the listed issue concerning the district court’s “ex parte” calls,
however, Mandawala abandoned it. See Justiss Oil Co. v. Kerr-McGee Refining Corp., 75 F.3d
1057, 1067 (5th Cir. 1996) (“When an appellant fails to advance arguments in the body of
its brief in support of an issue it has raised on appeal, we consider such issues abandoned.”).

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no genuine issue as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to
judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a).
       “When a motion for summary judgment identifies an absence of
evidence that supports a material fact on which the non-movant bears the
burden of proof at trial, the non-moving party must set forth specific facts
that show that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Ruiz v. Whirlpool, Inc., 12
F.3d 510, 513 (5th Cir. 1994). Rule 56 imposes no obligation for a court “to
sift through the record in search of evidence to support a party’s opposition
to summary judgment.” Adams v. Travelers Indem. Co., 465 F.3d 156, 164 (5th
Cir. 2006) (quoting Ragas v. Tenn. Gas Pipeline Co., 136 F.3d 455, 458 (5th
Cir. 1998)). “When evidence exists in the summary judgment record but the
nonmovant fails even to refer to it in the response to the motion for summary
judgment, that evidence is not properly before the district court.” Smith ex
rel. Estate of Smith v. United States, 391 F.3d 621, 625 (5th Cir. 2004) (citation
omitted).
       Mandawala contends that the district court prematurely granted sum-
mary judgment for BSHP. At a status conference two months before BSHP
moved for summary judgment, both parties told the district court they ex-
pected to call approximately 13 witnesses at trial. Citing Rule 56(d), Manda-
wala argues the district court erred in granting summary judgment for BSHP
without considering testimony from those witnesses. This argument is with-
out merit.
       We have long held that “Rule 56 does not require that any discovery
take place before summary judgment can be granted; if a party cannot ade-
quately defend such a motion, Rule 56[(d)]2 is [the] remedy.” Washington v.

       _____________________
       2
       Rule 56(f) was recodified as Rule 56(d) following the 2010 amendments. See Fed.
R. Civ. P. 56(d) advisory committee’s note to 2010 amendment.

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Allstate Ins. Co., 901 F.2d 1281, 1285 (5th Cir. 1990). Rule 56(d) provides that
if a party “shows by affidavit or declaration that, for specified reasons, it can-
not present facts essential to justify its opposition” to the summary judgment
motion, a district court may “defer considering the motion or deny it,” “al-
low time to obtain affidavits or declarations or to take discovery,” or “issue
any other appropriate order.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(d). “Motions made un-
der Rule 56(d) are broadly favored and should be liberally granted,” but the
party opposing summary judgment “may not simply rely on vague assertions
that additional discovery will produce needed, but unspecified, facts.” Ren-
froe v. Parker, 974 F.3d 594, 600–01 (5th Cir. 2020) (quoting Am. Fam. Life
Assurance Co. of Columbus v. Biles, 714 F.3d 887, 894 (5th Cir. 2013)) (internal
quotations omitted). At a minimum, the party “must indicate to the court by
some statement, preferably in writing[,] . . . why he needs additional discov-
ery and how the additional discovery will create a genuine issue of material
fact.” Krim v. BancTexas Grp., Inc., 989 F.2d 1435, 1442 (5th Cir. 1993) (em-
phasis omitted). The movant “must also have diligently pursued discovery.”
Jacked Up, L.L.C. v. Sara Lee Corp., 854 F.3d 797, 816 (5th Cir. 2017) (quo-
tations and citation omitted). “We review a district court’s denial of a Rule
56(d) motion for abuse of discretion.” Biles, 714 F.3d at 894.
       Here, Mandawala did not file a Rule 56(d) motion or its functional
equivalent following BSHP’s motion for summary judgment. “[O]ur court
has foreclosed a party’s contention on appeal that it had inadequate time to
marshal evidence to defend against summary judgment when the party did
not seek Rule 56([d]) relief before the summary judgment ruling.” Fanning
v. Metro. Transit Auth. of Harris County, 141 F. App’x 311, 314–15 (5th Cir.
2005); see Potter v. Delta Air Lines, Inc., 98 F.3d 881, 887 (5th Cir. 1996)
(holding that party was “foreclosed from arguing that she did not have ade-
quate time for discovery” because she did not move for a continuance). Alt-
hough Mandawala asserts that he named witnesses in his initial disclosures

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and served witness subpoenas, he failed to file a Rule 56(d) motion, request
a continuance, or state that he needed additional discovery before the district
court ruled on summary judgment. He has forfeited his argument that the
district court prematurely granted summary judgment. See United States v.
Zuniga, 860 F.3d 276, 284 n.9 (5th Cir. 2017) (“Failure to raise a claim to the
district court ‘constitutes a forfeiture, not a waiver, of that right for the pur-
poses of appeal.’”) (quoting United States v. Chavez-Valencia, 116 F.3d 127,
130 (5th Cir. 1997)).
                                           B.
        Citing Rule 56(h), Mandawala contends that BSHP’s motion for sum-
mary judgment was filed in bad faith. Under Rule 56(h), if a court determines
that an affidavit or declaration filed with summary judgment “is submitted in
bad faith,” it “may order the submitting party to pay the other party the rea-
sonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, it incurred as a result.” Fed. R.
Civ. P. 56(h). “An offending party or attorney may also be held in contempt
or subjected to other appropriate sanctions.” Id. We review the district
court’s decision whether to grant a remedy under Rule 56(h) for an abuse of
discretion. Turner v. Baylor Richardson Med. Ctr., 476 F.3d 337, 349 (5th Cir.
2007).3
        Here, Mandawala does not claim that he raised the issue of BSHP’s
bad faith in the district court or that he made any request to the district court
for a remedy under Rule 56(h). He also fails to explain how the district court
erred or abused its discretion. “A party forfeits an argument by failing to raise
it in the first instance in the district court—thus raising it for the first time on

        _____________________
        3
         The rule on submitting an affidavit or declaration in bad faith in Rule 56(g) was
recodified as Rule 56(h) following the 2010 amendments. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(h)
advisory committee’s note to 2010 amendment.

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appeal—or by failing to adequately brief the argument on appeal.” Rollins v.
Home Depot USA, 8 F.4th 393, 397 (5th Cir. 2021); see Fed. R. App. P.
28(a)(8)(A) (requiring appellant’s argument to contain “appellant’s conten-
tions and the reasons for them, with citations to the authorities and parts of
the record on which appellant relies”). “Although we liberally construe
briefs of pro se litigants and apply less stringent standards to parties proceed-
ing pro se than to parties represented by counsel, pro se parties must still brief
the issues and reasonably comply with the standards of Rule 28.” Cuellar, 59
F.3d at 524 (footnote omitted). Consequently, Mandawala has forfeited this
issue.4
                                           C.
          Mandawala appeals the district court’s denial of his motion for recon-
sideration under Rule 59(e). “When a district court is presented with new
evidence in a Rule 59(e) motion to alter or amend, and the court denies the
motion, the standard of review depends on whether the district court consid-
ered the new evidence in reaching its decision.” Grant v. Harris County, 794
F. App’x 352, 358 (5th Cir. 2019) (unpublished) (citing Templet v. Hydro-
Chem Inc., 367 F.3d 473, 477 (5th Cir. 2004)). “If the materials were consid-
ered . . . and the district court still grants summary judgment, the appropriate
appellate standard of review is de novo.” Catalyst Strategic Advisors, L.L.C.
v. Three Diamond Cap. Sbc, L.L.C., 93 F.4th 870 (5th Cir. 2024) (quoting
Templet, 367 F.3d at 477). “However, if the district court does not consider
the evidence, the appropriate standard of review is abuse of discretion.” Luig
v. N. Bay Enterprises, Inc., 817 F.3d 901, 905–06 (5th Cir. 2016) (citing Tem-
plet, 367 F.3d at 477). “[I]f it is unclear whether the district court considered
          _____________________
          4
          Even assuming Mandawala could make the argument on appeal, he has not
identified any affidavit or declaration that BSHP submitted in bad faith. See Fed. R. Civ.
P. 56(h).

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the new evidence, the court reviews the district court’s denial of the Rule
59(e) motion for an abuse of discretion.” Grant, 794 F. App’x at 358 (citing
Luig, 817 F.3d at 905). “Under this standard of review, the district court’s
decision and decision-making process need only be reasonable.” Templet, 367
F.3d at 477.
       Here, the district court found that Mandawala’s evidence in support
of his motion for reconsideration was “neither admissible at this late stage,
nor relevant to its summary judgment analysis” and it denied the motion.
The denial of the Rule 59(e) motion is reviewed for abuse of discretion. See
Grant, 794 F. App’x at 358 (explaining that the abuse of discretion applies if
it is not clear whether the district court considered the new evidence in its
Rule 59(e) decision).
       Rule 59(e) “is an extraordinary remedy that should be used spar-
ingly.” Templet, 367 F.3d at 479. “[A] motion to alter or amend the judgment
under Rule 59(e) must clearly establish either a manifest error of law or fact
or must present newly discovered evidence and cannot be used to raise argu-
ments which could, and should, have been made before the judgment is-
sued.” Rosenzweig v. Azurix Corp., 332 F.3d 854, 863–64 (5th Cir. 2003)
(quoting Simon v. United States, 891 F.2d 1154, 1159 (5th Cir. 1990)) (internal
quotations omitted). “Under Rule 59(e), amending a judgment is appropriate
(1) where there has been an intervening change in the controlling law; (2)
where the movant presents newly discovered evidence that was previously
unavailable; or (3) to correct a manifest error of law or fact.” Demahy v.
Schwarz Pharma, Inc., 702 F.3d 177, 182 (5th Cir. 2012).
       Mandawala’s Rule 59(e) motion asked the district court to consider
new evidence that was not presented in his response to the motion for sum-
mary judgment. He claimed he was given only 48 hours to respond to the
motion and did not have enough time to get exhibits filed because he relied

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on public facilities to print documents. The district court denied the motion.
It found that Mandawala had ample time to prepare an adequate response,
explaining that after the 14-day deadline for responding to the motion had
passed, it extended the response deadline, giving him “19 days to respond,
not 48 hours.” The district court also found that he did not move for a con-
tinuance under Rule 56(d) or request additional time to adequately oppose
summary judgment prior to the ruling on the summary judgment motion, and
he failed to show that the evidence was unavailable to him when he responded
to the motion.
       On appeal, Mandawala relies on the same evidence he attached to his
Rule 59(e) motion, but he offers no basis for finding that the denial of the
motion was unreasonable and an abuse of discretion. “We have held that an
unexcused failure to present evidence available at the time of summary judg-
ment provides a valid basis for denying a subsequent motion for reconsidera-
tion.” Templet, 367 F.3d at 479 (citing Russ v. Int’l Paper Co., 943 F.2d 589,
593 (5th Cir. 1991)). The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying
Mandawala’s Rule 59(e) motion.
       AFFIRMED.

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