Sorrell v. District of Columbia

252 F.R.D. 37, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66764, 2008 WL 4028217
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedSeptember 2, 2008
DocketCivil Action No. 07-854 (RWR/JMF)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 252 F.R.D. 37 (Sorrell v. District of Columbia) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sorrell v. District of Columbia, 252 F.R.D. 37, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66764, 2008 WL 4028217 (D.D.C. 2008).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JOHN M. FACCIOLA, United States Magistrate Judge.

This case was referred to me for discovery. Currently pending and ready for resolution is Plaintiffs Motion to Compel More Complete Responses to Plaintiffs Interrogatories and Requests for Documents (“Plains.Mot.”). For the reasons stated herein, the motion will be granted in part and denied in part.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, an employee of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections (“DCDC”) since 1983, claims that she was sexually harassed by Sgt. Eugenia Haines (“Haines”) while assigned to the District of Columbia Jail. Complaint (“Compl.”) ¶¶ 3, 6, 11, 28. Plaintiff claims the harassment occurred sporadically between June of 2003 and May of 2006. Compl. ¶ 28.

DISCUSSION

I. Legal Standard

Under Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, “[f]or good cause, the court may order discovery of any matter relevant to the subject matter involved in the action. Relevant information need not be admissible at the trial if the discovery appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(1). Furthermore, “the scope of discovery is within the sound discretion of the trial court,” and a “ruling by the trial court limiting or denying discovery will not be cause for reversal unless an abuse of discretion is shown.” Chrysler Corp. v. Fedders. Corp., 643 F.2d 1229, 1240 (6th Cir.1981). Although defendant does not contest the discoverability of the majority of plaintiffs requests, each will be considered below.

II. Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment Claims Generally

In Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Servs., Inc., 523 U.S. 75, 118 S.Ct. 998, 140 L.Ed.2d 201 (1998), the Supreme Court made it clear that Title VII covers claims of hostile environment sexual harassment. Id. at 79, 118 S.Ct. 998. Quoting one of its earlier decisions, the Court reiterated “ ‘the critical issue’” with regard to such claims, namely, “ ‘whether members of one sex are exposed to disadvantageous terms or conditions of employment to which members of the other sex are not exposed.’ ” Id. at 80, 118 S.Ct. 998 (quoting Harris v. Forklift Sys., Inc., 510 U.S. 17, 25, 114 S.Ct. 367, 126 L.Ed.2d 295 (1993)). Describing the objective nature of the statute, the Court noted that “ ‘[cjonduct that is not severe or pervasive enough to create an objectively hostile or abusive work environment — an environment that a reasonable person would find hostile or abusive — is beyond Title VII’s purview.’ ” Id. at 81, 118 S.Ct. 998 (quoting Harris, 510 U.S. at 21, 114 S.Ct. 367).

In proving a claim of same-sex harassment, there are three theories upon which a plaintiff may proceed. Jones v. Potter, 301 F.Supp.2d 1, 7 (D.D.C.2004). First, a plaintiff may show “that the sexual behavior is motivated by actual homosexual desire.” Id. Second, a plaintiff may show “ ‘that the harassment is framed in such sex-specific and derogatory terms ... as to make it clear that the harasser is motivated by general hostility’ towards members of the same gender in the workplace.” Id. (quoting Oncale, 523 U.S. at 80, 118 S.Ct. 998). Finally, a “plaintiff may demonstrate ‘that there is direct comparative evidence about how the alleged harasser treated members of both sexes in a mixed-sex workplace.’ ” Id. (quoting Oncale, 523 U.S. at 80-81, 118 S.Ct. 998).

III. Plaintiffs Discovery Requests

A. Interrogatories

1. Interrogatory No. 6
Describe in detail any discipline which defendant has ever imposed on Eugenia [39]*39Haines for any reason, including without limitation any sexual harassment, violation of cease and desist orders, or other misconduct.

Plains. Mot. at 7.

Defendant initially objected to this interrogatory on the grounds that 1) the DC Code and DC Personnel Regulations prohibited the release of such information, 2) the information sought was not relevant nor reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence, 3) records of disciplinary actions may not be considered for a period exceeding three years, and 4) there were no disciplinary records for Haines. Id.

Plaintiff argues that, based on communications with other DCDC personnel as well as answers given by Haines herself, defendant had not provided a complete response to this interrogatory. Id. Specifically, plaintiff points to the fact that since defendant filed its initial response, it had turned over documents relating to disciplinary actions taken against Haines, and to the fact that although plaintiff learned that Haines had been disciplined in relation to a charge that she was in possession of an authorized missing service weapon while working at the hospital, plaintiff had not received any information about the incident from defendant. Id. at 8. Plaintiff also objects to defendant’s limiting their response to its interrogatory to written communications. Id. at 8-9.

Defendant now claims that it has produced Haines’ entire disciplinary file and that the event referenced above by plaintiff, the one involving a service weapon, did not constitute discipline or if it did, would have been included in the documents previously produced. Defendant’s Opposition to Plaintiffs Motion to Compel More Complete Responses to Plaintiff's Interrogatories and Requests for Documents (“Defs.Opp.”) at 5.

Although defendant indicates that it has produced Haines’ entire disciplinary file, as plaintiff correctly notes, the interrogatory is not limited to written communications. Therefore, defendant will, within ten days of the date of this opinion, submit a declaration attesting either to the fact that it has additional information about disciplinary actions that were taken against Haines (and if so, provide plaintiff with a description of such actions) or to the fact that it does not possess any additional information responsive to this interrogatory.

2. Interrogatory No. 7
Describe in detail all allegations or complaints of sexual harassment or inappropriate conduct by Sgt. Haines, formal or informal, which have been made by any other DCDC employees or inmates, including without limitation any allegations that Sgt. Haines made sexual or romantic advances, acted inappropriately, or otherwise harassed anyone and the Agency’s investigation(s) thereof.

Plains. Mot. at 10.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
252 F.R.D. 37, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66764, 2008 WL 4028217, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sorrell-v-district-of-columbia-dcd-2008.