Michael A. Haddle v. Jeanette G. Garrison, et al. (525 U.S. 121)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided December 14, 1998 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 525 U.S. 121 · 119 S. Ct. 489
- Decided
- December 14, 1998
- Term
- October Term 1998
- Vote
- 9–0
- Majority author
- Justice Rehnquist
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
CHIEF Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion of the Court. Petitioner Michael A. Haddle, an at-will employee, alleges that respondents conspired to have him fired from his job in retaliation for obeying a federal grand jury subpoena and to deter him from testifying at a federal criminal trial. We hold that such interference with at-will employment may give rise to a claim for damages under the Civil Rights Act of 1871, Rev. Stat. § 1980, 42 U. S. C. § 1985(2). According to petitioner’s complaint, a federal grand jury indictment in March 1995 charged petitioner’s employer, Healthmaster, Inc., and respondents Jeanette Garrison and Dennis Kelly, officers of Healthmaster, with Medicare fraud. Petitioner cooperated with the federal agents in the investigation that preceded the indictment. He also appeared to testify before the grand jury pursuant to a subpoena, but did not testify due to the press of time. Petitioner was also expected to appear as a witness in the criminal trial resulting from the indictment. Although Garrison and Kelly were barred by the Bankruptcy Court from participating in the affairs of Health-master, they conspired with G. Peter Molloy, Jr., one of the remaining officers of Healthmaster, to bring about petitioner’s termination. They did this both to intimidate petitioner and to retaliate against him for his attendance at the federal-court proceedings.…
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