Case: State of Missouri ex rel Hanaway v. Missouri State High School Activities Association

4:26-cv-00171 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

Filed Date: Feb. 4, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

[This summary is ongoing while we research the case] On February 4, 2026, the State of Missouri and Merlyn Johnson, Superintendent of Cassville R-IV School District, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The plaintiffs alleged that MSHSAA violated federal anti-discrimination laws by rejecting Dr. Johnson's nomination for an at-large board position solely because…

[This summary is ongoing while we research the case]

On February 4, 2026, the State of Missouri and Merlyn Johnson, Superintendent of Cassville R-IV School District, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The plaintiffs alleged that MSHSAA violated federal anti-discrimination laws by rejecting Dr. Johnson's nomination for an at-large board position solely because he is a white male. MSHSAA's Constitution requires that two at-large board positions "shall be filled by a candidate representing the under-represented gender of the current Board, or an under-represented ethnicity," and the organization's executive director told Dr. Johnson he was "not eligible to be a candidate" due to his race and sex. The lawsuit includes four causes of action alleging unlawful race and sex discrimination under the Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1983, Title VII, and Section 1981⁻. The plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief prohibiting race and sex-based candidate disqualification, nominal damages, and attorneys' fees⁻.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Jinan Abufarha (4/12/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72233140/parties/state-of-missouri-ex-rel-hanaway-v-missouri-state-high-school-activities/

Judge(s)

Mensah, Shirley P. (Missouri)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Capozzi, Louis Joseph (Missouri)

Miller, Graham (Missouri)

Seidleck, William James (Missouri)

Judge(s)

Mensah, Shirley P. (Missouri)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Capozzi, Louis Joseph (Missouri)

Miller, Graham (Missouri)

Seidleck, William James (Missouri)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case

1 4:26-cv-00171	Complaint State of Missouri v. Missouri State High School	Feb. 4, 2026	Feb. 4, 2026 Complaint

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72233140/state-of-missouri-ex-rel-hanaway-v-missouri-state-high-school-activities/

Last updated April 20, 2026, 3:07 a.m.

ECF Number	Date	Description	Link
1	Feb. 4, 2026	COMPLAINT against defendant All Defendants with receipt number AMOEDC-11705281, in the amount of $405 Non-Jury Demand,, filed by State of Missouri ex rel, Merlyn Johnson. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - Official Handbook, # 2 Exhibit B - Auditor Letter, # 3 Exhibit C - MSHSAA FS Final FY19, # 4 Exhibit D - 2023 Executive Job Postings, # 5 Civil Cover Sheet, # 6 Original Filing Form, # 7 Summons)(Capozzi, Louis) (Entered: 02/04/2026) 1 Exhibit A - Official Handbook View on PACER 2 Exhibit B - Auditor Letter View on PACER 3 Exhibit C - MSHSAA FS Final FY19 View on PACER 4 Exhibit D - 2023 Executive Job Postings View on PACER 5 Civil Cover Sheet View on PACER 6 Original Filing Form View on PACER 7 Summons View on PACER	Clearinghouse
2	Feb. 4, 2026	ENTRY of Appearance by Graham Miller for Plaintiffs Merlyn Johnson, State of Missouri ex rel. (Miller, Graham) (Entered: 02/04/2026)	RECAP
3	Feb. 4, 2026	ENTRY of Appearance by William James Seidleck for Plaintiffs Merlyn Johnson, State of Missouri ex rel. (Seidleck, William) (Entered: 02/04/2026)	RECAP
4	Feb. 6, 2026	NOTICE of Filing Deficiency re 1 Complaint,. In accordance with Eastern District of Missouri Local Rules and the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) Procedures Manual, a filing deficiency has been identified as follows: Notice of Process Server form not filed. This deficiency must be filed in the case record immediately. (ERR) (Entered: 02/06/2026)	RECAP
5	Feb. 6, 2026	NOTICE OF PROCESS SERVER by Plaintiffs Merlyn Johnson, State of Missouri ex rel Process Server: Action Legal Process Server (Seidleck, William) (Entered: 02/06/2026)	RECAP
	Feb. 6, 2026	Electronic Notice of Filing Deficiency (CSCI)
	Feb. 6, 2026	Case Opening Notification
	Feb. 6, 2026	Case Opening Notification. Judge Assigned: U.S. Magistrate Judge Shirley P. Mensah. 1 Summons(es) issued and emailed to Louis Capozzi, Graham Miller, William Seileck. All parties must file the Notice Regarding Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction Form consenting to or opting out of the Magistrate Judge jurisdiction. Click here for the instructions. (ERR)
6	Feb. 9, 2026	CJRA Order	RECAP
8	Feb. 10, 2026	Entry of Appearance	RECAP
9	Feb. 10, 2026	Summons Returned Executed	RECAP
10	Feb. 10, 2026	Entry of Appearance	RECAP
11	Feb. 10, 2026	Entry of Appearance	RECAP
	Feb. 10, 2026	A Docket Text Order
12	Feb. 12, 2026	Extension of Time to File Answer	RECAP
	Feb. 13, 2026	A Docket Text Order with Schedules
14	Feb. 27, 2026	Disclosure Statement (Disclosure of Organizational Interests)	RECAP
15	April 2, 2026	Entry of Appearance	RECAP
16	April 2, 2026	Intervene	RECAP
17	April 2, 2026	Memorandum in Support of Motion	RECAP
18	April 6, 2026	Entry of Appearance	RECAP
19	April 7, 2026	Entry of Appearance	RECAP
20	April 14, 2026	Leave to	RECAP
21	April 15, 2026	Docket Text ORDER: The Court grants 20 Joint MOTION for Leave to File in Excess of Fifteen Pages and for Extension of Time to File Response and Reply. Signed by Chief District Judge Stephen R. Clark on 4/15/2026. (LNS) (Entered: 04/15/2026)	RECAP
	April 15, 2026	A Docket Text Order
22	April 16, 2026	Dismiss Case	RECAP
23	April 16, 2026	Memorandum in Support of Motion	RECAP
24	April 16, 2026	Response to Motion	RECAP

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Case Details

State / Territory:

Missouri

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations By the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Feb. 4, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

Eastern District of Missouri 4:26-cv-00171

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Recommended Citation

Case Summary of State of Missouri ex rel Hanaway v. Missouri State High School Activities Association, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/48077/ (last updated 4/12/2026).