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Case Name
Claybrooks v. American Broadcasting Companies
PA-TN-0001
Docket / Court
3:12-cv-00388 ( M.D. Tenn. )
State/Territory
Tennessee
Case Type(s)
Public Accomm./Contracting
Case Summary
On April 18, 2012, two African-American men who had unsuccessfully applied to be cast as The Bachelor in the ABC television program of the same name filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, under § 1981 and Cal. Civ. §§ 51, 51.5 against ...
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On April 18, 2012, two African-American men who had unsuccessfully applied to be cast as The Bachelor in the ABC television program of the same name filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, under § 1981 and Cal. Civ. §§ 51, 51.5 against ABC. The complaint was filed as a class action, with plaintiffs seeking to sue on behalf of the class of all people of color who had unsuccessfully applied to star as either The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, asked the court for declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief, alleging that they were the victims of ABC's racial discrimination. Specifically, the plaintiffs claimed that ABC has intentionally and as a matter of corporate policy refused to cast people of color in the role of the Bachelor and Bachelorette for all 23 seasons of the two programs.
On October 15, 2012, the Court (Judge Trauger) dismissed the case with prejudice on the grounds that applying anti-discrimination provisions to casting decisions would threaten the content of various television networks and their ability to target certain demographic groups and that it would chill protected speech.
On November 11, 2012, the plaintiffs moved to alter the judgment and to file an amended complaint. On April 4, 2013, both motions were denied.
Christopher Schad - 05/24/2012
Katherine Reineck - 02/21/2016
compress summary
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Issues and Causes of Action
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Causes of Action
State law
42 U.S.C. § 1981
Case Details
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Defendant(s)
American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Plaintiff Description
two African American men who unsuccessfully applied to be cast as The Bachelor in the ABC television program of the same name and, if the class is certified, all people of color who unsuccessfully applied to star in the role The Bachelor or The Bachelorette
Class action status sought
Yes
Class action status granted
Pending
Filed Pro Se
No
Prevailing Party
Defendant
Public Int. Lawyer
No
Nature of Relief
None yet
Source of Relief
None yet
Filed
04/18/2012
Case Closing Year
2013
Case Ongoing
No
Additional Resources
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Documents
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Court
Docket(s)
M.D. Tenn.
10/15/2012
3:12−cv−00388
PA-TN-0001-9000.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
General Documents
M.D. Tenn.
04/18/2012
Class Action Complaint for Damages [ECF# 1]
PA-TN-0001-0001.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
M.D. Tenn.
10/15/2012
Order [ECF# 102]
(898 F.Supp.2d 986)
PA-TN-0001-0002.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
People
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Judges
Trauger, Aleta Arthur
(M.D. Tenn.)
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PA-TN-0001-0002 | PA-TN-0001-9000
Plaintiff's Lawyers
Barrett, George E.
(Tennessee)
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PA-TN-0001-0001 | PA-TN-0001-9000
Best, Zachary W.
(District of Columbia)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Lieder, Michael P.
(District of Columbia)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Lyons, Terrinell
(Alabama)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Mehri, Cyrus
(District of Columbia)
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PA-TN-0001-0001 | PA-TN-0001-9000
Perkins, Byron Renard
(Alabama)
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PA-TN-0001-0001 | PA-TN-0001-9000
Tift, Scott P.
(Tennessee)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Defendant's Lawyers
Bryant, Kenneth M.
(Tennessee)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Grubbs, Shelby R.
(Tennessee)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Kurtz, Ryan A.
(Georgia)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Levin, Adam
(California)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Maxwell, Sarah C.
(Tennessee)
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PA-TN-0001-9000 | PA-TN-0001-9000
Odubeko, Junaid A.
(Tennessee)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Pierce, Seth E.
(California)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
Pinkley, T. Harold
(Tennessee)
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PA-TN-0001-9000
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