Gill v. Devlin

867 F. Supp. 2d 849, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102954, 2012 WL 2152832
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedMarch 12, 2012
DocketAction No. 4:11-CV-623-Y
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 867 F. Supp. 2d 849 (Gill v. Devlin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gill v. Devlin, 867 F. Supp. 2d 849, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102954, 2012 WL 2152832 (N.D. Tex. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO DISMISS AND MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS

TERRY R. MEANS, District Judge.

Pending before the Court are Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (doc. 11), filed November 16, 2011, and Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings (doc. 18), filed January 6, 2012. After considering Plaintiffs Rule 7 reply, the motions, the responses, and the replies, the Court DENIES the motions.

I. BACKGROUND1

On August 21, 2009, plaintiff Jacqueline Gill was hired as a full-time, temporary instructor of English for the Tarrant County College District (“TCCD”). During the interview process, Gill was told that instructors who successfully complete a contract teaching term and then apply for a permanent position are “uniformly hired.” (Compl. 3 at ¶ 10.) Defendant Eric W. Devlin was the chair of the English Department, and defendant Antonio R. Howell was the Dean of Humanities. Devlin supervised Gill, and Howell supervised Devlin.

On October 28, Gill administered an exam in a composition course. A student stole the exam and tried to give copies of the exam to other students. Several students reported the theft to Gill who re[852]*852ported it to Devlin. After the student withdrew from Gill’s class, Gill was told that the matter was closed.

On November 9, Devlin met with Gill and told her that the student who had stolen the composition exam had complained that Gill flirted with female students in the class. Gill denied the accusation. Devlin told Gill that such behavior was not acceptable at TCCD and “responded with a lengthy diatribe about ‘homosexuals’ and how the Texas public views them. During the story, Devlin stated that Texas was a conservative state and the [TCCD] was a conservative institution. He concluded that, because of this, ‘Texas and [TCCD] do not like homosexuals.’ ” (Compl. 4 at ¶ 17.) Nine days later, Devlin observed Gill teaching a class. When the class was over, he told Gill that he enjoyed the class and that Gill had done a good job.

In January 2010, Devlin told the temporary instructors that he was attempting to get their positions converted to permanent positions. Gill agreed to take on extra classes above her full-time load for the spring 2010 term. On January 27, Devlin sent an e-mail to the temporary instructors telling them that he needed to set up observation dates. (Compl. 5 at ¶ 21; Answer 6 at ¶ 21.) Gill learned that she had been the only instructor who had been observed during the fall 2009 term. Devlin observed Gill’s class for a second time on April 5 and for a third time on April 19. Gill’s “colleague” told Gill that “a third observation was highly unusual and something Devlin would normally do only if he was trying to gather information to get rid of someone.” (Compl. 5-6 at ¶ 24.)

On May 12, Howell told Gill that her position and the six other temporary English instructor positions were ending, but that they would be re-designated adjunct faculty until permanent positions were available. Howell encouraged the seven instructors to re-apply for their positions when they became permanent positions. Gill applied for each of the seven positions when they became available. Devlin reviewed the applications and forwarded his approved applications to the hiring committee. From the forwarded applications, the hiring committee determined who would be interviewed. Gill was not allowed to interview for any of the permanent positions. Devlin’s secretary confirmed to Gill that the other six instructors were allowed to interview and were hired for permanent positions. Apparently, Gill was allowed to remain at TCCD as an adjunct faculty member. (Compl. 7 at ¶¶ 32-33.) Gill alleges that her “first-rate” qualifications “met or exceeded that of those who were hired” and that she was similarly situated to the other six temporary instructors. (Compl. 6 at 127, 7 at ¶ 34,10 at ¶ 46.)

On August 19, Gill met with Howell. Howell told Gill that “he never heard anything negative about Gill’s work and that he wished Gill had been allowed to interview. Howell stated that he did not know why Gill had not been allowed to interview.” (Compl. 6 at ¶ 30.) Gill told Howell about Devlin’s 2009 statements about homosexuals. Howell told Gill that he would discuss the matter with Devlin, which he did, but he took no further action. (Compl. 7 at ¶ 30, 32; Rule 7 Reply 2.) Gill took her complaints to other administration members, but “the matter fell on deaf ears.” (Compl. 7 at ¶ 31.) Although Gill taught a full course load during the fall 2010 term, she was assigned no classes for the spring 2011 term. “[A]lthough she never has been formally dismissed from her position as adjunct faculty[,] ... [a]s a result of Devlin’s and Howell’s conduct, Gill has been [effectively] unemployed since the end of the spring 201[1] term.” (Compl. 7 at ¶¶ 33-34.)

On September 7, Gill filed a declaratory-judgment complaint against Devlin and [853]*853Howell in their individual and official capacities arguing that they had violated her equal-protection rights by refusing to allow her to interview for a permanent position and by interfering with the hiring process.2 (Compl. 10 at ¶ 48.) Devlin and Howell filed a motion to dismiss and a motion for judgment on the basis of the pleadings. In the motion to dismiss, Devlin and Howell assert that Gill has failed to state a claim upon which relief may be granted against them in their official capacities because she failed to allege a policy or practice of TCCD causing her injury. (Mot. to Dismiss 4-5.)3 They further contend that Gill’s claim for punitive damages against them in their individual capacities should be dismissed because Gill failed to allege facts demonstrating evil intent or reckless indifference to Gill’s constitutional rights. (Mot. to Dismiss 12.) In their motion for judgment on the pleadings under Rule 12(c), they argue that they are entitled to qualified immunity.4

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

A. Rule 12(b)(6) and Rule 12(c)

Devlin and Howell filed their motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6) after they filed an answer responding to Gill’s allegations. Because a post-answer Rule 12(b)(6) motion is untimely, the Court must consider Devlin and Howell’s motion to dismiss to be one seeking dismissal on the basis of the pleadings under Rule 12(c). See Mauro v. Freeland, 735 F.Supp.2d 607, 614 n. 37 (S.D.Tex.2009); Kinnison v. City of San Antonio, No. SA-08-CA-421-XR, 2009 WL 578525, at *2 (W.D.Tex. Mar. 5, 2009); Hobbs v. City of Dallas, No. 3:06-CV-2106-K, 2007 WL 846519, at *1 (N.D.Tex. Mar. 20, 2007) (Kinkeade, Dist. J.). In deciding a Rule 12(c) motion, the Court only may consider allegations in the pleadings and incorporated exhibits, including a Rule 7 reply and the defendant’s answer. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 7(a), 10(c); Hoffman v. L & M Arts, No. 3:10-CV-953-D, 2011 WL 3567419, at *9 (N.D.Tex. Aug. 15, 2011) (Fitzwater, C.J.) (considering attachment to answer in deciding Rule 12(c) motion); Forgan v. Howard County, No. 1:04-CV-233-C, 2005 WL 233808, at *6 (N.D.Tex. Feb. 1, 2005) (Cummings, Dist. J.) (considering Rule 7 reply and attached exhibits in determining Rule 12(c) motion on the basis of qualified immunity).5

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Bluebook (online)
867 F. Supp. 2d 849, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102954, 2012 WL 2152832, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gill-v-devlin-txnd-2012.