Case: Hammock v. City of Auburn
3:87-cv-00680 | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
Filed Date: July 20, 1987
Closed Date: Oct. 27, 1993
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
In July 1987, a class of past, present, and future employees of the City of Auburn, Alabama, filed a putative class-action lawsuit against the City and its officials in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. The plaintiff alleged a continuing pattern and practice of discrimination arising from the City Fire Chief's policy of favoritism within the fire department, as well as discrimination tacitly approved by the other defendants. The plaintiffs claimed they had been deprived of equal protection and due process rights at the whim of the Fire Chief, which violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments and of 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
The complaint alleged these violations were manifested through denials of access to public records, denial of access to the courts, unfair promotion practices, denial of merit pay increases, denial of overtime pay and sick pay, denial of equal access to schools and seminars, and denial of the opportunity to fully benefit from the State's retirement system. An important subset of allegations stated the racial discrimination claims of a subclass of black plaintiffs pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment. 953 F.2d 1355 (11th Cir. 1992).
The case docket only starts with entry #278 and information before that is limited, so this summary focuses on events happened after February 1991.
On February 15, 1991, Judge Robert E. Varner approved a Settlement Agreement from November 1990 and directed all the parties to implement the terms of conditions of the class settlement. On August 20, 1992, Judge Varner dismissed the petition for attorney’s fees and closed the case.
However, in September 1993, the defendant filed a motion for instructions for lack of jurisdiction by this court, so the case was reopened as of September 20, 1993. On October 27, 1993, Judge Varner denied this motion for instructions and closed the case on the same day.
Summary Authors
Sichun Liu (1/13/2020)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/8918692/parties/hammock-v-the-city-of-auburn/
Edmondson, James Larry (Georgia)
Biggers, Deborah Hill (Alabama)
Glassroth, Steve (Alabama)
Bush, Russell K. (Alabama)
Meadows, Robert Turner III (Alabama)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/8918692/hammock-v-the-city-of-auburn/
Last updated Sept. 17, 2026, 2:36 p.m.
Docket for: Hammock v. The City of Auburn
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: July 20, 1987
Closing Date: Oct. 27, 1993
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Past, present and future employees of the City of Auburn, Alabama.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
City
City of Auburn
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Middle District of Alabama 3:87-cv-00680
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 91-07301
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Area:
Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc.)
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Race(s):
Case Summary of Hammock v. City of Auburn, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/10792/ (last updated 1/13/2020).