Case: Pellant v. Detroit Tigers, Inc.

2:23-cv-13288 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Filed Date: Dec. 27, 2023

Closed Date: Jan. 13, 2025

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Case Summary

This case is about alleged age discrimination against two Major League Baseball (MLB) scouts. The two plaintiffs were both over age 60 and worked for the Detroit Tigers until they were fired in 2020 along with two other older scouts. The remaining scouts for the team were all between 20 and 50 years of age. The team claimed the firings were due to Covid, but Plaintiffs were denied reemployment after the pandemic. They therefore filed suit against the Tigers under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act as well as Michigan state law. The case was filed on December 27, 2023 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and was assigned to District Judge Sean F. Cox (it was later reassigned to District Judge Brandy R. McMillion). Plaintiffs were represented by private attorneys and sought compensatory, punitive, and liquidated damages as well as attorneys’ fees.

On March 11, 2024, Defendant filed a motion to dismiss because both plaintiffs were named in a pending class-action lawsuit against MLB and various teams, including the Tigers, for similar age discrimination claims. See Benedict v. Manfred. Defendants therefore asked that this case be dismissed under the “first to file” rule. On January 13, 2025, Judge McMillion denied the motion insofar as she decided to stay, rather than dismiss, the suit. However, she granted the substance of the motion by declaring that any further action would need to await the outcome of the other case. 2025 WL 85434.

As of April 2025, the case had been administratively closed.

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Summary Authors

Erin Lichtenstein (4/19/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68118928/parties/pellant-v-detroit-tigers-inc/

Judge(s)

Cox, Sean Francis (Michigan)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Abeita, Mitchell C. (Michigan)

Carey, Raymond J. (Michigan)

Attorney for Defendant

Cohen, Daniel G. (Michigan)

Henry, Paige Alexandra (Michigan)

Judge(s)

Cox, Sean Francis (Michigan)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Abeita, Mitchell C. (Michigan)

Carey, Raymond J. (Michigan)

Attorney for Defendant

Cohen, Daniel G. (Michigan)

Henry, Paige Alexandra (Michigan)

Paxton, Thomas R. (Michigan)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 2:23-cv-13288	Complaint	Dec. 27, 2023	Dec. 27, 2023 Complaint
6 2:23-cv-13288	Defendant's Motion to Dismiss	March 11, 2024	March 11, 2024 Pleading / Motion / Brief
16 2:23-cv-13288	Opinion and Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (ECF NO. 6), Staying the Case, and Closing Case Administratively	Jan. 13, 2025	Jan. 13, 2025 Order/Opinion 2025 WL 85434

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68118928/pellant-v-detroit-tigers-inc/

Last updated Sept. 16, 2025, 9:47 p.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT filed by All Plaintiffs against Detroit Tigers, Inc. with Jury Demand. Plaintiff requests summons issued. Receipt No: AMIEDC-9605453 - Fee: $ 405. County of 1st Plaintiff: Out of State - County Where Action Arose: Wayne - County of 1st Defendant: Out of State. [Previously dismissed case: No] [Possible companion case(s): None] (Carey, Raymond) (Entered: 12/27/2023)	Dec. 27, 2023	Dec. 27, 2023 Clearinghouse
2	SUMMONS Issued for Detroit Tigers, Inc. (KBro) (Entered: 12/28/2023)	Dec. 28, 2023	Dec. 28, 2023 PACER
3	ATTORNEY APPEARANCE: Thomas R. Paxton appearing on behalf of Detroit Tigers, Inc. (Paxton, Thomas) (Entered: 01/02/2024)	Jan. 2, 2024	Jan. 2, 2024 PACER
4	WAIVER OF SERVICE Returned Executed. Detroit Tigers, Inc. waiver sent on 12/27/2023, answer due 2/26/2024. (Paxton, Thomas) (Entered: 01/02/2024)	Jan. 2, 2024	Jan. 2, 2024 PACER
5	STIPULATION AND ORDER Extending Time for Defendant to Respond re 1 Complaint. (Responsive Pleading due by 3/11/2024) Signed by District Judge Sean F. Cox. (JMcC) (Entered: 02/29/2024)	Feb. 29, 2024	Feb. 29, 2024 PACER
6	MOTION to Dismiss by Detroit Tigers, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Index of Exhibits, # 2 Exhibit A: Charge of Discrimination (Gary Pellant), # 3 Exhibit B: Charge of Discrimination(Johnson), # 4 Exhibit C: Determination and Notice of Rights (Pellant) 9-28-23, # 5 Exhibit D: Dismissal and Notice of Rights (Johnson) 9-11-23, # 6 Exhibit E: Collective and Class Action Complaint (Benedict) 6-21-23, # 7 Exhibit F: Fourth Amended Complaint) (Paxton, Thomas) (Entered: 03/11/2024)	March 11, 2024	March 11, 2024 Clearinghouse
7	ATTORNEY APPEARANCE: Paige Alexandra Henry appearing on behalf of Detroit Tigers, Inc. (Henry, Paige) (Entered: 03/15/2024)	March 15, 2024	March 15, 2024 PACER
8	NOTICE of Appearance by Mitchell Abeita on behalf of All Plaintiffs. (Abeita, Mitchell) (Entered: 03/18/2024)	March 18, 2024	March 18, 2024 PACER
9	STIPULATION AND ORDER EXTENDING TIME FOR PLAINTIFF TO RESPOND TO DEFENDANTS MOTION TO DISMISS re 6 MOTION to Dismiss. (Response due by 4/5/2024, Reply due by 4/19/2024) Signed by District Judge Sean F. Cox. (JMcC) (Entered: 04/01/2024)	April 1, 2024	April 1, 2024 PACER
	Text-Only Reassignment	April 2, 2024	April 2, 2024 PACER
	Text-Only Order of reassignment from District Judge Sean F. Cox to District Judge Brandy R. McMillion pursuant to Administrative Order 24-AO-007. (NAhm)	April 2, 2024	April 2, 2024 PACER
10	RESPONSE to 6 MOTION to Dismiss filed by All Plaintiffs. (Attachments: # 1 Document Continuation Proposed Order) (Abeita, Mitchell) (Entered: 04/04/2024)	April 4, 2024	April 4, 2024 PACER
11	REPLY to Response re 6 MOTION to Dismiss filed by Detroit Tigers, Inc.. (Paxton, Thomas) (Entered: 04/17/2024)	April 17, 2024	April 17, 2024 PACER
12	NOTICE by All Plaintiffs Notice of Facts Properly Recognized as Matter of Judicial Notice (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B) (Carey, Raymond) (Entered: 12/06/2024)	Dec. 6, 2024	Dec. 6, 2024 PACER
13	ATTORNEY APPEARANCE: Daniel G. Cohen appearing on behalf of Detroit Tigers, Inc. (Cohen, Daniel) (Entered: 01/07/2025)	Jan. 7, 2025	Jan. 7, 2025 PACER
14	NOTICE of Withdrawal of Attorney Thomas R. Paxton for on behalf of All Defendants. (Paxton, Thomas) (Entered: 01/07/2025)	Jan. 7, 2025	Jan. 7, 2025 PACER
15	ORDER WITHDRAWING THOMAS R. PAXTON AS COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANT. Signed by District Judge Brandy R. McMillion. (LHos) (Entered: 01/08/2025)	Jan. 8, 2025	Jan. 8, 2025 PACER
16	OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO DISMISS (ECF NO. 6 ), STAYING THE CASE, AND CLOSING CASE ADMINISTRATIVELY. Signed by District Judge Brandy R. McMillion. (LHos) (Entered: 01/13/2025)	Jan. 13, 2025	Jan. 13, 2025 Clearinghouse