7 results for 'judge:"Van Meerveld"'.
J. Van Meerveld grants summary judgment to the city of New Orleans, dismissing a Title VII racial discrimination suit by a fired white police sergeant who alleges he was disciplined more harshly than nine black officers for similar offenses. The sergeant’s eight social media posts clearly advocate unnecessary force and use terms historically used to demean black people, such as “animals,” and “savages," to describe Black Lives Matters protesters after the murder of George Floyd. The black officers cited were not comparators. The Louisiana Supreme Court reinstated the sergeant with back pay and emoluments on appeal.
Court: USDC Eastern District of Louisiana , Judge: Van Meerveld, Filed On: April 23, 2024, Case #: 2:22cv5060, NOS: Employment - Civil Rights, Categories: Employment Discrimination, Police Misconduct
J. Meerveld grants a request by a chemical plant, dismissing complaints of First Amendment violations by a self-represented former employee of American Indian descent. The company is a government contractor but not a “government actor” and, therefore, his First Amendment claim fails. Further, he has failed to allege facts sufficient to support a Title VII claim for a hostile work environment based on race, racial discrimination or retaliation, or for disability discrimination related to an alleged brain injury.
Court: USDC Eastern District of Louisiana , Judge: Van Meerveld, Filed On: March 14, 2024, Case #: 2:23cv23, NOS: Employment - Civil Rights, Categories: Constitution, Ada / Rehabilitation Act, Employment Discrimination
J. Van Meerveld grants a request by developers and a flooring company to dismiss civil racketeering claims by the father and son owners of a construction company, alleging they were defrauded into investing in a business deal to purchase, renovate and sell real estate. The litigants’ allegations are insufficient to show the necessary predicate acts, or independent illegal activity, required for a RICO claim. Not one allegation in the suit identifies a fraud or misrepresentation. Instead, the alleged acts can only reasonably be interpreted as preliminary negotiations of a legitimate business deal.
Court: USDC Eastern District of Louisiana , Judge: Van Meerveld, Filed On: February 28, 2024, Case #: 2:23cv565, NOS: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) - Other Suits, Categories: Evidence, Business Practices, Racketeering
J. Van Meerveld grants a request by a white former Louisiana State Police lieutenant who seeks to add a white Superintendent and his Black successor to his Title VII lawsuit alleging he was denied promotions to captain because of his race, white. The white ex-lieutenant’s proposal to add claims for unlawful employment discrimination against the two top cops in their individual capacities seeks to circumvent the sovereign immunity argument raised by the State Police. The proposed amendment is allowed because it is “not clearly futile.”
Court: USDC Eastern District of Louisiana , Judge: Van Meerveld, Filed On: September 1, 2023, Case #: 2:23cv772, NOS: Employment - Civil Rights, Categories: Constitution, Government, Police Misconduct
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J. Meerveld grants consolidated requests by 148 former clients of three law firms to enforce a settlement of legal malpractice claims, arising from the attorneys’ conduct related to handling of their claims against British Petroleum in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Despite representations made directly to the court, those same attorneys now insist that they never agreed to settle this case. Clearly, the settlement remained subject to a “critical later formality” — signed release agreements by the 148 litigants against attorneys for the three law firms. But such a formality does not preclude the finding of an enforceable settlement agreement.
Court: USDC Eastern District of Louisiana , Judge: Van Meerveld, Filed On: June 13, 2023, Case #: 2:20cv2995, NOS: Other Contract - Contract, Categories: Settlements, Class Action, Attorney Discipline
J. Van Meerveld orders State Farm to produce contested documents for the court’s private review by June 9, 2023. The auto insurer must “clearly identify” redacted portions of documents it claims are attorney-privileged from the version inadvertently turned over to an insured client suing his carrier for bad faith. The litigant argues that all the documents designated as privileged by State Farm are not entitled to such protections and he refuses to destroy the materials as the insurer requested. Trial is set to begin on Aug. 21, 2023.
Court: USDC Eastern District of Louisiana , Judge: Van Meerveld, Filed On: June 6, 2023, Case #: 2:22cv4550, NOS: Motor Vehicle - Torts - Personal Injury, Categories: Insurance, Discovery, Attorney Fees