Case: United States v. Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority

1:02-cv-00316 | U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico

Filed Date: March 20, 2002

Closed Date: 2006

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Case Summary

On March 20, 2002, the United States filed a lawsuit under Title VII against the Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority (the "Authority") in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. The Department of Justice alleged that the Authority had discriminated against its employees on the basis of their race and/or sex. Specifically, the United States contended that Native American and female employees were subjected to harassment on the basis of their race and/or s…

The United States alleged that the defendant discriminated against employees on the basis of their race and/or sex by creating and maintaining a work environment that was so racially and/or sexually hostile that they were forced to resign from their positions. A female, Native American employee timely filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging that the then Executive Director of the Authority harassed her because of her sex and race, that because of the harassment she was forced to resign her position with the Authority, and that the discrimination was in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC investigated the employee's charge and found reason to believe that violations of Title VII had occurred. The EEOC attempted unsuccessfully to conciliate the charge of discrimination through voluntary resolution and subsequently referred the matter to the Department of Justice.

On February 4, 2003, the plaintiffs and the defendant agreed to enter into a consent decree approved by the district court (Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi). The consent decree enjoined the Authority from discriminating against any employee because of that employee's sex or race or retaliating against any employees that filed a charge with the EEOC or the New Mexico Human Rights Commission or that participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under Title VII. Additionally, the Authority consented to offer monetary relief to certain female employees and to implement the anti-discrimination policy and investigation procedures.

The Authority also agreed that in the event it is contacted by any employer for an employment reference regarding its former Executive Director, the Authority shall state only the facts and dates of his employment, a description of the employee's job's duties, and the fact that at the time of his departure there was a pending DOJ investigation into allegations that he racially and sexually harassed employees but that the matter was settled with no admission of liability. It can be inferred from this part of the consent decree that the Executive Director either resigned or was fired by the Authority due to his alleged discriminatory behavior.

We have no further information on this case.

Summary Authors

Dana Schwarz (10/17/2007)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/12184397/parties/united-states-v-northwest-new-mexico/

Judge(s)

Deaton, William W. Jr. (New Mexico)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Alexander, Tamara R (District of Columbia)

Ashcroft, John (District of Columbia)

Boyd, Ralph F. Jr. (District of Columbia)

Fenton, William B. (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Judge(s)

Deaton, William W. Jr. (New Mexico)

Puglisi, Richard L. (New Mexico)

Schneider, W. Daniel (New Mexico)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Alexander, Tamara R (District of Columbia)

Ashcroft, John (District of Columbia)

Boyd, Ralph F. Jr. (District of Columbia)

Fenton, William B. (District of Columbia)

Gregory, Claire L. (District of Columbia)

Hamilton, Raymond (New Mexico)

Henry, Dawn (District of Columbia)

Iglesias, David C. (New Mexico)

Weisman, Cynthia L (New Mexico)

Attorney for Defendant

Stelzner, Luis G (New Mexico)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case

1:02-cv-00316	Docket (PACER) United States v. Northwest New Mexico	May 25, 2006	May 25, 2006 Docket
1 1:02-cv-00316	Complaint United States of America v. Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority	March 20, 2002	March 20, 2002 Complaint
30 1:02-cv-00316	Consent Decree United States of America v. Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority	Feb. 5, 2003	Feb. 5, 2003 Settlement Agreement

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/12184397/united-states-v-northwest-new-mexico/

Last updated Sept. 22, 2026, 10:01 p.m.

Docket for: United States v. Northwest New Mexico

ECF Number	Date	Description	Link
1	March 20, 2002	COMPLAINT for civil rights w/jury demand (2 Summons(es) issued) (referred to Chief Magistrate William Deaton) (mlk) (Entered: 03/22/2002)	RECAP
	March 20, 2002	LETTER to counsel re: consent to proceed before a US Magistrate Judge (mlk) (Entered: 03/22/2002)	PACER
	March 20, 2002	LETTER to counsel re: consent to proceed before a US Magistrate Judge (mlk)
2	April 23, 2002	NOTICE of consent to proceed before a US Magistrate Judge by plaintiff (mlk) Modified on 04/30/2002 (Entered: 04/25/2002)	RECAP
3	April 23, 2002	RETURN OF SERVICE of s/c executed upon Patrick Butler on 4/11/02 (mlk) (Entered: 04/25/2002)	RECAP
4	April 23, 2002	RETURN OF SERVICE of s/c executed upon Joseph Murietta, Executive Director on 4/11/02 (mlk) (Entered: 04/25/2002)	RECAP
5	May 1, 2002	ENTRY OF APPEARANCE for defendant by Luis G. Stelzner (mlk) (Entered: 05/01/2002)	RECAP
6	May 1, 2002	ANSWER by defendant [1-1] (mlk) (Entered: 05/01/2002)	RECAP
7	May 1, 2002	NOTICE of consent to proceed before a US Magistrate Judge by defendant (mlk) (Entered: 05/01/2002)	RECAP
8	May 1, 2002	CERTIFICATE by defendant of service of entry of appearance, answer & consent to proceed before a US Magistrate Judge to counsel on 05/01/02 (mlk) (Entered: 05/01/2002)	RECAP
9	May 8, 2002	SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL: terminating attorney Raymond Hamilton for USA and substituting attorney Cynthia Linn Weisman (dmw) (Entered: 05/08/2002)	RECAP
10	May 15, 2002	MOTION by pltf for order to facilitate electronic filing (vv) (Entered: 05/15/2002)	RECAP
11	May 17, 2002	ORDER by Chief Magistrate William Deaton granting pltf's motion for order to facilitate electronic filing [10-1] (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 05/17/2002)	RECAP
12	May 29, 2002	INITIAL SCHEDULING ORDER by Chief Magistrate William Deaton Rule 16 scheduling conference set on 7/30/02 @ 3:30 pm; provisional discovery plan & IPTR due 7/22/02 (cc: all counselI*) (dmw) (Entered: 05/30/2002)	RECAP
13	June 3, 2002	NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL: terminating attorney Tamara R. Alexander for USA and substituting with Dawn Henry (*) (bap) (Entered: 06/04/2002)	RECAP
13	June 3, 2002	NOTICE by USA's attorney Claire Gregory of change of address (included w/notice of substitution of counsel) (*) (bap) (Entered: 06/04/2002)	RECAP
14	July 5, 2002	ORDER by Chief Magistrate William Deaton Rule 16 scheduling conference reset on 8/7/02 @ 3:30 pm (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 07/05/2002)	RECAP
15	July 22, 2002	CERTIFICATE by plaintiff of service of initial disclosures to counsel on 07/22/02 (mlk) (Entered: 07/23/2002)	RECAP
16	July 29, 2002	CERTIFICATE by pltf of service of initial disclosures to counsel on 7/22/02 (dmw) (Entered: 07/30/2002)	RECAP
17	July 29, 2002	PROVISIONAL DISCOVERY PLAN by the parties (mlk) (Entered: 07/31/2002)	RECAP
18	Aug. 7, 2002	CLERK'S MINUTES: before Chief Magistrate William Deaton Rule 16 scheduling conference held (dmw) (Entered: 08/08/2002)	RECAP
19	Aug. 9, 2002	ORDER by Chief Magistrate William Deaton re initial scheduling conference Discovery cutoff 1/6/03 (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 08/09/2002)	RECAP
20	Aug. 9, 2002	ORDER by Chief Magistrate William Deaton setting settlement conference on 4/1/03 @ 2:00 pm (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 08/09/2002)	RECAP
21	Aug. 13, 2002	INITIAL PRE-TRIAL REPORT by Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi and Chief Magistrate William Deaton; Discovery set for 1/6/03; mtn filing ddl set for 3/24/03; proposed pretrial order due 4/10/03; pretrial conference set for 1:30 pm on 5/14/03; jury trial set for 9:30 am on 6/16/03; Estimated # of Trial Days: 5; Chances of Settlement: remote (cc: all counsel by dds) (dmw) (Entered: 08/14/2002)	RECAP
22	Sept. 13, 2002	MINUTE ORDER: Pretrial conference set on 5/14/03 @ 1:30 pm; Jury trial set on 6/16/03 @ 9:30 am, both before Judge Puglisi in Albuquerque, NM (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 09/16/2002)	RECAP
23	Sept. 20, 2002	CERTIFICATE by plaintiff of service of interrogs, requset for production & admission to counsel on 09/16/02 (mlk) (Entered: 09/23/2002)	RECAP
24	Oct. 24, 2002	CERTIFICATE by defendant of service of answers to interrogs, requests for production & admissions to counsel on 10/24/02 (mlk) (Entered: 10/25/2002)	RECAP
25	Nov. 4, 2002	CERTIFICATE by defendant of service of supplemental initial disclosures to counsel on 11/04/02 (mlk) (Entered: 11/07/2002)	RECAP
26	Nov. 13, 2002	JOINT MOTION to extend discovery deadlines for four weeks (dmw) (Entered: 11/14/2002)	RECAP
27	Nov. 15, 2002	ORDER by Chief Magistrate William Deaton granting joint motion to extend discovery deadline [26-1] Discovery cutoff 2/6/03 (cc: all counsel) (dmw) (Entered: 11/15/2002)	RECAP
28	Nov. 25, 2002	STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER by Chief Magistrate William Deaton (cc: all counsel) (dmw) (Entered: 11/25/2002)	RECAP
29	Jan. 22, 2003	ORDER sua sponte by Chief Magistrate William Deaton vacating the 4-17-03 settlement conference (cc: all counsel*) (jrm) (Entered: 01/22/2003)	RECAP
30	Feb. 5, 2003	CONSENT JUDGMENT by Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi, as further described herein (cc: all counsel by dds) (dmw) (Entered: 02/07/2003)	RECAP
31	March 13, 2003	MINUTE ORDER: Case referred from Magistrate Judge William W. Deaton to Magistrate Judge W. D. Schneider (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 03/13/2003)	RECAP
32	April 25, 2003	ORDER by Magistrate Judge W. D. Schneider setting settlement conference on 5/14/03 @ 9:00 am (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 04/25/2003)	RECAP
33	April 28, 2003	ORDER by Magistrate Judge W. D. Schneider vacating settlement conference set on 5/14/03 (cc: all counsel*) (dmw) (Entered: 04/28/2003)	RECAP
34	May 22, 2006	MOTION by pltf to dismiss the case (ln) (Entered: 05/22/2006)	RECAP
35	May 22, 2006	MEMORANDUM by pltf in support of motion to dismiss the case [34-1] (ln) (Entered: 05/22/2006)	RECAP
36	May 22, 2006	CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE by pltf of motion and memorandum to dismiss to counsel on 05/18/06 (ln) (Entered: 05/22/2006)	RECAP
37	May 25, 2006	ORDER by Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi granting pltf's motion to dismiss the case [34-1] dismissing case (cc: all counsel) (dmw) (Entered: 06/01/2006)	RECAP

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Case Details

State / Territory:

New Mexico

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 20, 2002

Closing Date: 2006

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of female and Native American employees

Plaintiff Type(s):

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

Regional

Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority

Defendant Type(s):

Sanitation/Public Works

Case Details

Causes of Action:

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

Other Dockets:

District of New Mexico 1:02-cv-00316

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

Discrimination Area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination Basis:

Race discrimination

Sex discrimination

Affected Race(s):

American Indian/Alaskan Native

Affected Sex/Gender(s):

Female

Recommended Citation

Case Summary of United States v. Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/10349/ (last updated 10/17/2007).