Riddle v. Cerro Wire & Cable Group, Inc.

709 F. Supp. 1051, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3137, 49 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 914, 1989 WL 29333
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Alabama
DecidedMarch 28, 1989
DocketCV No. 88-HM-5512-NE
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 709 F. Supp. 1051 (Riddle v. Cerro Wire & Cable Group, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Riddle v. Cerro Wire & Cable Group, Inc., 709 F. Supp. 1051, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3137, 49 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 914, 1989 WL 29333 (N.D. Ala. 1989).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

HALTOM, District Judge.

The above entitled Title VII action was commenced by plaintiff Nora E. Riddle (“Riddle”) against defendant Cerro Wire and Cable Group, Inc.1 (“Cerro Wire”) on November 21, 1988.

Paragraphs 6 and 7 of the complaint allege:

6. The plaintiff, Nora E. Riddle has been employed by the defendant since 1979.
7. During the plaintiff’s employment, the defendant unlawfully discriminated against the plaintiff because of her sex with respect to the following: promotion, pay raises, job assignments, requirements of work, and terms and conditions of employment.

Paragraph 11 of Riddle’s complaint reads:

11. Plaintiff filed a timely written charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. During the period following the filing of plaintiff’s [1052]*1052charge, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission conducted an investigation of her charge. The notice of the right to sue was received by the plaintiff and she has brought this action prior to the expiration of 90 days from receipt of right to sue, hence all jurisdictional prerequisites to suit have been fully met.

Plaintiff Riddle prays for the following relief in CV 88-HM-5512-NE:

1. Enter a declaratory judgment that the defendant’s acts, policies, practices, and procedures complained of herein have violated and continue to violate the rights of plaintiff as secured by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e et. seq.
2. Grant plaintiff a permanent injunction enjoining the defendant, its agents, successors, employees, attorneys and other representatives and all those acting in concert with the defendant and at the defendant’s instruction from continuing to violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, in the manner alleged herein.
3. Grant plaintiff further judgment against the defendant for back-pay (plus interest), damages, lost seniority, lost pension, and fringe benefit credits, costs, attorney’s fees and expenses and any other relief the court deems appropriate.
4. Plaintiff further prays for such other relief and benefits as the cause of justice may require.

[Plaintiff’s complaint, Court file, CV 88-HM-5512-NE]

The civil action above referenced is before the Court upon 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss filed by defendant Cerro Wire on December 15, 1988 alleging grounds in support thereof as follows:

1. To dismiss the action pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, because the Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
2. To dismiss the action on grounds that Plaintiff’s action was previously adjudicated in a prior Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) suit brought in Plaintiff’s behalf and in response to charges of discrimination filed by the Plaintiff with the EEOC, resulting in a Consent Decree and an Order dismissing the cause with prejudice. See Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Cerro Wire & Cable Group, Inc., CV 87-HM-5594-NE (Attached as Exhibit A).

Exhibit A attached to such motion is: [1] Consent Decree of this Court entered on August 25, 1988 in CV 87-HM-5594-NE in the civil action styled “Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Plaintiff vs. Cerro Wire & Cable Group, Inc., a corporation, Defendant’ with attached exhibits.2 Paragraphs 4 and 5 thereof, together with n. 2 to ¶ 4, provide:

4. Upon receipt of a signed Release form (see Exhibit “C”) executed by Mrs. Nora Elaine Riddle, Cerro will remit to the EEOC a check in the amount of ONE THOUSAND and FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($1,500.00) made out to her. Upon receipt of Cerro’s check made out to Mrs. Riddle, the EEOC will promptly disburse said money to her.2
5. Cerro will take no adverse action, either against Mrs. Nora Elaine Riddle or against any other person, in retaliation for either having filed a charge against the company with the EEOC or for having assisted the EEOC in the prosecution of this action.

[2] Order entered in CV 87-HM-5594-NW dismissing that action with prejudice pursuant to EEOC motion to dismiss filed August 30, 1988 and Consent Decree entered August 25, 1988.

Under date of December 21, 1988 the Court entered Order in CV 88-HM-5512-NE setting briefing schedule for counsel of the parties and directing that briefs in sup[1053]*1053port of and in opposition to Cerro Wire’s motion to dismiss be submitted. On January 4,1989 counsel of record for defendant Cerro Wire filed brief [with exhibits] in support of its motion. On January 11,1989 counsel of record for plaintiff Riddle filed brief [with exhibits in opposition thereto].3 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed “friend of the court” letter brief [with exhibits] on January 6, 1989.

Since matters outside the pleadings have been presented to and not excluded by the Court in this civil action, the Court has treated Cerro Wire’s 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss as one for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 12(b), Fed.R.Civ.P., to be disposed of as provided in Rule 56, Fed.R. Civ.P., and has given all parties reasonable opportunity to present all material made pertinent to such a motion by Rule 56. On March 23, 1989 plaintiff Riddle filed seven (7) exhibits in opposition to summary judgment. On March 24, 1989 defendant Cerro Wire filed herein certain additional evidentiary matter and another memorandum in support of summary judgment.

[CV 87-HM-5594-NE RE-VISITED]

[Background]

Nora Elaine Riddle filed her charge of Discrimination against Cerro Wire and Cable Group, Inc.4 with the Birmingham, Alabama District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) on or about March 16, 1984 essentially charging that on January 26, 1984 her employer Cerro Wire [Hartselle, Alabama] discriminated against her on the basis of sex by passing her over for promotion to lead-person in shipping and receiving and by paying her less wages because of her sex [Ex. 1, Plaintiff’s Memorandum In Opposition To Defendant’s Motion To Dismiss, CV 88-HM-5512-NE], EEOC then served timely notice on Cerro Wire of the Riddle charge, including date, place and circumstances of alleged unlawful employment practice and made investigation thereof.

Under date of December 27, 1986 the Commission determined: [1] that Riddle’s sex was the sole motivating factor for Cerro Wire’s failing to promote her as leadperson; and [2] there was not reasonable cause to believe that Riddle’s wage allegation was true [Plaintiff’s Ex. 2. Id.]

EEOC’s endeavor to thereafter eliminate the alleged unlawful employment practice by informal methods of conference, conciliation and persuasion was unsuccessful.

[Court Records]

On December 14, 1987 the EEOC instituted civil action in this Court against Cerro Wire and Cable Group, Inc.

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Related

Nora E. Riddle v. Cerro Wire and Cable Group, Inc.
902 F.2d 918 (Eleventh Circuit, 1990)

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709 F. Supp. 1051, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3137, 49 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 914, 1989 WL 29333, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/riddle-v-cerro-wire-cable-group-inc-alnd-1989.