Case: LAWRENCE E. SMITHERS v. THE UNITED STATES
Abbreviation: Smithers v. United States
Decision Date: 1960-07-15
Docket Number: No. 211-59
Citation: 150 Ct. Cl. 640
Volume: 150
Reporter: United States Court of Claims Reports
Court: United States Court of Claims
Jurisdiction: United States
Parties: LAWRENCE E. SMITHERS v. THE UNITED STATES
Judges: 
Pages: 640–641

Head Matter:
LAWRENCE E. SMITHERS v. THE UNITED STATES
[No. 211-59.
Decided July 15, 1960]
Mr. Olaude L. Dawson for the plaintiff.
Mr. Sheldon J. Wolfe, with, whom was Mr. Assistant Attorney General George Ooehran Doub, for the defendant.

Opinion:
Per Curiam :
Plaintiff, a civilian employee with the Department of Commerce, has brought this suit to recover salary lost by him because of his alleged unlawful reassignment pursuant to a reduction in force action. As a veteran he alleges violations of the Veterans' Preference Act, 5 U.S.C. 861, in effecting his reassignment. Defendant asks dismissal of the petition on the grounds of collateral estoppel, plaintiff having previously instituted an unsuccessful suit in the U.S. District Court against the Secretary of Commerce and the Civil Service Commission. The district court decision was affirmed on appeal.
Plaintiff's suit here is based upon the same facts and involves the same issues, and the decision by the court of appeals found not only that plaintiff had been afforded the necessary procedural safeguards, but that there was no showing of arbitrary action with regard to the administrative judgment on the merits. Accordingly, defendant's position that plaintiff's suit here is barred on the grounds of collateral estoppel is well taken, and based on our decision in Edgar v. United States, 145 Ct. Cl. 9, plaintiff's petition must be dismissed.
It is so ordered.