Case: United States of America v. City of Willis, Texas

4:98-cv-00280 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Filed Date: Jan. 30, 1998

Closed Date: 2000

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On January 30, 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Willis Texas Police Department under 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq. ("Title VII") in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The Department of Justice asked the court for injunctive and monetary relief, alleging that the defendant had violated Title VII, by subjecting one African-American employee to racial harassment and another employee to retaliation for aiding in the EEOC complaint.On Ma…

On January 30, 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Willis Texas Police Department under 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq. ("Title VII") in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The Department of Justice asked the court for injunctive and monetary relief, alleging that the defendant had violated Title VII, by subjecting one African-American employee to racial harassment and another employee to retaliation for aiding in the EEOC complaint.

On March 2, 1999, the District Court (Judge Melinda Harmon) entered a Consent Decree agreed upon by both parties. The City of Willis, Texas agreed to institute measures against future racial discrimination and retaliatory actions. Both employees were paid damages for back pay and personal injury. All records of the EEOC complaint were expunged from both employees' city and personnel files.

An Order of Dismissal on July 11, 2000, which terminated the court's jurisdiction over the Consent Decree.

We have no further information on this case.

Summary Authors

Jane Wu (11/5/2007)

People

Judge(s)

Harmon, Melinda (Texas)

Attorney for Plaintiff

DeAtley, James H (Texas)

Fenton, William B. (District of Columbia)

Field, J. Richie (Texas)

Jenkins, Hays Jr. (Texas)

Attorney for Defendant

Documents in the Clearinghouse

4:98-cv-00280

Docket (PACER)

United States v. City of Willis, Texas

July 11, 2000

July 11, 2000

Docket
1

4:98-cv-00280

Complaint

Jan. 30, 1998

Jan. 30, 1998

Complaint
26

4:98-cv-00280

Consent Decree in Settlement of Claims

March 3, 1999

March 3, 1999

Settlement Agreement

Docket

Last updated March 24, 2025, 8:16 a.m.

ECF Number Date Description Link
1 Jan. 30, 1998

COMPLAINT filed; (bchurchill) (Entered: 01/30/1998)

PACER
2 Jan. 30, 1998

ORDER for Conf set initial pretrial and scheduling conference for 9:00 4/8/98 before Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy , entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) (bchurchill) (Entered: 01/30/1998)

PACER
3 Feb. 3, 1998

REQUEST/MOTION for Barbara J Meacham to appear as attorney-in- charge by United States of America, Motion Docket Date 2/23/98 [3-1] motion , filed. (ltien) (Entered: 02/03/1998)

PACER
4 Feb. 3, 1998

RETURN OF SERVICE executed as to City of Willis Texas c/o Mayor Ruth Castlehouldt 2/2/98 filed Answer due on 2/22/98 for City of Willis Texas (ltien) (Entered: 02/03/1998)

PACER
5 Feb. 3, 1998

RETURN OF SERVICE executed as to attorney J Ritchie Field 2/2/98 filed (ltien) (Entered: 02/03/1998)

PACER
6 Feb. 3, 1998

RETURN OF SERVICE executed as to attorney Barbara L Johnson 2/2/98 filed (ltien) (Entered: 02/03/1998)

PACER
7 Feb. 5, 1998

ORDER granting pltf's [3-1] request/motion for Barbara J Meacham to appear as attorney-in-charge , entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) (ltien) (Entered: 02/06/1998)

PACER
8 Feb. 20, 1998

ANSWER to Complaint by City of Willis Texas (Added attorney Barbara L Johnson), filed.; jury demand (ltien) (Entered: 02/23/1998)

PACER
9 March 4, 1998

REQUEST by United States of Am for permission to conduct discovery conference by telephone filed. (fmremp) (Entered: 03/04/1998)

PACER
11 March 20, 1998

INITIAL DISCLOSURE pursuant to Order for Accelerated Discovery by United States of America, filed. (ltien) (Entered: 03/23/1998)

PACER
12 March 25, 1998

JOINT DISCOVERY/Case Management Plan by United States of Am, City of Willis Texas , filed. (hlerma) (Entered: 03/26/1998)

PACER
13 March 26, 1998

INITIAL DISCLOSURE pursuant to Order for Accelerated Discovery by City of Willis Texas , filed. (ltien) (Entered: 03/26/1998)

PACER
14 April 8, 1998

Minute entry: initial pretrial and scheduling conference held on 4/8/98, terminated deadlines . Apps: Jenkins and Meacham f/pltf, Colbert f/deft. Scheduling order entered. Ct Reporter: ERO (ltien) (Entered: 04/08/1998)

PACER
15 April 8, 1998

Minute Entry Order: scheduling conference held on 4/8/98, entered. Apps: Meacham and Jenkins f/pltf, Colbert f/deft. Scheduling order entered. Parties ntfd. ( Signed by Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy ) (ltien) (Entered: 04/08/1998)

PACER
16 April 8, 1998

SCHEDULING ORDER setting Joining of parties, amending of pleadings 10/1/98 ; Expert witness list submitted by 12/1/98 f/pltf, 1/15/99 f/deft ; Discovery cutoff 3/8/99 ; Deadline for filing all dispositive motions 3/19/99 ; Deadline for filing non-dispositive motions 3/19/99 ; Pretrial order to be submitted on or before 4/30/99 ; Docket call deadline 1:30 5/7/99 ; before Judge Melinda Harmon , entered. Parties notified. Trial Term: two weeks starting 5/10/99 ( Signed by Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy ) (ltien) (Entered: 04/08/1998)

PACER
17 June 3, 1998

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL [13-1] disclosures by City of Willis, filed. (ltien) (Entered: 06/03/1998)

PACER
18 Oct. 13, 1998

REQUEST by United States of America for Michael A Zubrensky to appear as additional counsel, filed. (ltien) (Entered: 10/14/1998)

PACER
19 Oct. 19, 1998

ORDER granting pltf's [18-1] request for Michael A Zubrensky to appear as additional counsel, entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) (ltien) (Entered: 10/20/1998)

PACER
20 Jan. 15, 1999

DESIGNATION OF EXPERT WITNESS LIST by City of Willis Texas filed. (ltien) (Entered: 01/19/1999)

PACER
21 Jan. 20, 1999

UNOPPOSED MOTION for extension of motions deadlines by United States of Am, Motion Docket Date 2/9/99 [21-1] motion , filed. (fmremp) (Entered: 01/20/1999)

PACER
23 Feb. 12, 1999

JOINT MOTION for extension of the discovery and motions deadlines by United States of Am, City of Willis Texas , filed (psmith) (Entered: 02/16/1999)

PACER
24 Feb. 16, 1999

ORDER granting [23-1] joint motion for extension of the discovery and motions deadlines reset discovery due for 4/5/99 , reset dispositive motion filing deadline for 4/16/99 , set non-dispositve motion filing deadline for 4/16/99 , entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) (fmremp) (Entered: 02/17/1999)

PACER
25 Feb. 25, 1999

JOINT MOTION for entry of Consent Decree in Settlement of Claims by United States of America, City of Willis Texas , filed (ltien) (Entered: 02/25/1999)

PACER
26 March 3, 1999

CONSENT DECREE IN SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS/ORDER granting [25-1] joint motion for entry of Consent Decree in Settlement of Claims , entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) (fmremp) (Entered: 03/03/1999)

PACER
March 3, 1999

Case closed (fmremp) (Entered: 03/03/1999)

PACER
27 June 22, 2000

UNOPPOSED MOTION to Terminate Consent Decree , and to dismiss by United States of Am, Motion Docket Date 7/12/00 [27-1] motion, 7/12/00 [27-2] motion , filed. (sguevara) (Entered: 06/22/2000)

PACER
28 July 11, 2000

ORDER OF DISMISSAL granting Pltf's [27-1] motion to terminate consent decree; The Court's jurisdiction over the Consent Decree in this case is terminated and this case is dismissed with prejudice, entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) (fmremp) (Entered: 07/11/2000)

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory:

Texas

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: Jan. 30, 1998

Closing Date: 2000

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of an African American employee

Plaintiff Type(s):

EEOC Plaintiff

U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

City

City of Willis, Texas

Defendant Type(s):

Law-enforcement

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e

Other Dockets:

Southern District of Texas 4:98-cv-00280

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed

Relief Granted:

Damages

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Issues

General/Misc.:

Retaliation

Discrimination Area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination Basis:

Race discrimination

Affected Race(s):

Black

Recommended Citation