Case: United States of America v. Elsa County, Texas
7:05-cv-00038 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Filed Date: Feb. 1, 2005
Closed Date: 2005
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
On February 1, 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice ("D.O.J.") filed a lawsuit against the City of Elsa, Texas under Title VII in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The D.O.J. sought injunctive relief and compensatory damages, alleging that the defendant discriminated against female officers on the basis of sex and retaliated against these officers.
The complaint specifically alleges that the defendant discriminated on the basis of sex by: (1) removing a female officer's duties as Bailiff and Warrant Officer and assigning those duties to a male; and (2) failing or refusing to take appropriate action to remedy the effects of the discriminatory treatment of the female officer. The complaint further alleges that the defendant retaliated against the female officers by discharging female officers for opposing conduct that they reasonably and in good faith believed to be unlawful under Title VII and for filing a charge of discrimination with the EEOC under Title VII.
The individual employees, on whose behalf whom the D.O.J. filed suit, sought to intervene as plaintiffs. On December 15, 2005, the district court (Judge Randy Crane) approved a Consent Decree ordering that each intervener plaintiff be offered reinstatement to her previous position at the salary and level of seniority to which she would have been entitled had she remained in that position without interruption. The Consent Decree also required the city to offer remedial pension and/or Social Security benefits to plaintiffs for the period of time between their discharge and their reinstatement. Further, the defendant agreed to offer a total monetary award, inclusive of attorney's fees, backpay, and compensatory damages to each intervener plaintiff, and the court enjoined the defendant from providing negative employment references for the intervener plaintiffs.
Summary Authors
Hyun Jeong Yang (10/29/2007)
People
Crane, Randy (Texas)
Fenton, William B. (District of Columbia)
Lopez, Louis (District of Columbia)
Martinez, Francisco J (Texas)
Dietz, Stephen P. (Texas)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
Last updated March 24, 2025, 8:28 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study
Key Dates
Filing Date: Feb. 1, 2005
Closing Date: 2005
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
United States on behalf of female officers discriminated on the basis of sex and retaliated against for filing EEOC complaint
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
City
City of Elsa
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Other Dockets:
Southern District of Texas 7:05-cv-00038
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration: 2005 - 2006
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Area:
Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc.)
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Case Summary of United States of America v. Elsa County, Texas, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/10311/ (last updated 10/29/2007).