William J. LYNCH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS, INC., Defendant-Appellee

Fifth Circuit

William J. LYNCH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS, INC., Defendant-Appellee

475 F.2d 764, 17 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 524, 1973 U.S. App. LEXIS 10954, 5 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 8517, 6 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 353

CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

DecidedMarch 22, 1973

Docket72-3782

StatusPublished

Cited by45 cases

This text of 475 F.2d 764 (William J. LYNCH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS, INC., Defendant-Appellee) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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William J. LYNCH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS, INC., Defendant-Appellee, 475 F.2d 764, 17 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 524, 1973 U.S. App. LEXIS 10954, 5 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 8517, 6 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 353 (5th Cir. 1973).

Pincite

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

The sole issue presented by Plaintiff-Appellant in this appeal is that the trial court erred in granting the Defendant’s motion to strike Plaintiff’s motion for a jury trial. Plaintiff contended that he was discriminatorily discharged by his employer because of his race. Shunning the support of Title VII, 42 U.S.C.A. § 2000e, Plaintiff cast his complaint under 42 U.S.C.A. § 1981. He sought essentially reinstatement with backpay plus compensatory and punitive damages. The trial court found that the gist of the complaint was equitable, and, accordingly, denied Plaintiff’s request for a jury trial. We affirm.

A claim for reinstatement is equitable in nature. The imposition of monetary damages to make the employee whole for lost backpay does not change the character of the proceeding and thereby mandate a jury trial. Harkless v. Sweeny Independent School District, 5 Cir., 1970, 427 F.2d 319; Johnson v. Georgia Highway Express, Inc., 5 Cir., 1969, 417 F.2d 1122; Smith v. Hampton Training School for Nurses, 4 Cir., 1966, 360 F.2d 577; Williams v. Travenol Laboratories, Inc., N.D.Miss., 1972, 344 F.Supp. 163. Neither may the Plaintiff —by framing his prayer under § 1981 or by making unsupported allegations for compensatory and punitive damages —unilaterally alter the genre of the proceeding.

Affirmed.

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PER CURIAM:

The sole issue presented by Plaintiff-Appellant in this appeal is that the trial court erred in granting the Defendant’s motion to strike Plaintiff’s motion for a jury trial. Plaintiff contended that he was discriminatorily discharged by his employer because of his race. Shunning the support of Title VII, 42 U.S.C.A. § 2000e, Plaintiff cast his complaint under 42 U.S.C.A. § 1981. He sought essentially reinstatement with backpay plus compensatory and punitive damages. The trial court found that the gist of the complaint was equitable, and, accordingly, denied Plaintiff’s request for a jury trial. We affirm.

A claim for reinstatement is equitable in nature. The imposition of monetary damages to make the employee whole for lost backpay does not change the character of the proceeding and thereby mandate a jury trial. Harkless v. Sweeny Independent School District, 5 Cir., 1970, 427 F.2d 319; Johnson v. Georgia Highway Express, Inc., 5 Cir., 1969, 417 F.2d 1122; Smith v. Hampton Training School for Nurses, 4 Cir., 1966, 360 F.2d 577; Williams v. Travenol Laboratories, Inc., N.D.Miss., 1972, 344 F.Supp. 163. Neither may the Plaintiff —by framing his prayer under § 1981 or by making unsupported allegations for compensatory and punitive damages —unilaterally alter the genre of the proceeding.

Affirmed.

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27 Fair empl.prac.cas. 1273, 28 Fair empl.prac.cas. 1820, 28 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 32,404 Floyd W. Williams, Jr., Plaintiffs/cross-Appellees, Alice Brice, Plaintiff/appellant/cross-Appellee, Robert Harold and Aunita Jones, Plaintiff-Intervenors/appellants/cross-Appellees, and Charlotte Harris, Plaintiff-Intervenors/cross-Appellees v. Owens-Illinois, Inc., Defendant/appellee/cross-Appellant

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475 F.2d 764, 17 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 524, 1973 U.S. App. LEXIS 10954, 5 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 8517, 6 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 353, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/william-j-lynch-plaintiff-appellant-v-pan-american-world-airways-inc-ca5-1973.