Madison v. Ibp, Inc.

149 F.Supp.2d 730

Sheri Sawyer MADISON, Plaintiff, v. IBP, INC., Defendant United States of America, Intervenor.

No. Civ. 4-96-CV-20712.

United States District Court, S.D. Iowa, Central Division.

December 28, 1999.

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Roxanne Conlin, Conlin & Assoc., PC, Des Moines, IA, for Plaintiff.

Don C. Nickerson, U.S. Atty., Des Moines, IA, for Intervenor.

Patricia A. Schoff, Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shores & Roberts, PC, Des Moines, IA, Thomas D. Hanson, Lu Ann White, Hanson, Bjork & Russell, LLP, Des Moines, IA, for Defendant.

ORDER AND JUDGMENT ON POST-TRIAL MOTIONS, EQUITABLE RELIEF, ATTORNEY FEES AND COSTS

BREMER, United States Magistrate Judge.

Plaintiff, Sheri Sawyer Madison, asserted employment discrimination and retaliation claims against Defendant, IBP, Inc., under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1981a; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e-2000e-17; and the Iowa Civil Rights Act (ICRA), Iowa Code ch. 216. Judgment was entered on March 19, 1999, following a verdict in Madison's favor on all counts. Presently before the Court are the following: Plaintiff's Motion to Amend Judgment under Fed.R.Civ.P. 50, 58 and 59(e) (Clerk's No. 209); Defendant's Motion for New Trial under Fed.R.Civ.P. 59 (Clerk's No. 212); Defendant's Renewed Rule 50 Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law (Clerk's No 213); Defendant's Rule 59(e) Motion to Alter or Amend the Judgment (Clerk's No. 214); Plaintiff's claim for equitable relief, including front pay damages (Proposed Findings of Fact on Equitable Relief) (Clerk's No. 174); and Plaintiff's Application for Attorney Fees and Costs (Clerk's No. 215).

Hearings were held March 10, 1999, on the claim for equitable relief; on May 27, 1999, on the Application for Attorney Fees; and on July 30, 1999, for the remaining post-trial motions. On September 27, 1999, the Court granted the United States' motion to intervene to defend against Plaintiff's challenge to the constitutionality of the damages cap provision under 42 U.S.C. § 1981a(b)(3) (Clerk's No. 346). On October 18, 1999, the United States consented to proceed before a United States Magistrate Judge; the other parties had consented on April 1, 1998. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). The United States' brief was filed October 18, 1999, and Plaintiff filed a supplemental brief in resistance to the United States' position on November 12, 1999. This matter is fully submitted.

                              TABLE OF CONTENTS
  I. Background and Facts ....................................................... 745
     A. Procedural History ...................................................... 745
     B. Discovery Disputes ...................................................... 745
     C. Verdict and Judgment .................................................... 749
     D. Evidence Presented ...................................................... 750
        1. Madison's Background ................................................. 750
        2. IBP's Facility ....................................................... 751
        3. Madison's Work History at IBP ........................................ 751
        4. Complaint Process .................................................... 764
           a. Training .......................................................... 764
           b. Presenting A Complaint ............................................ 765
           c. Identifying the Problem ........................................... 766
           d. Investigating the Complaint ....................................... 767
           e. Remedies, Including Discipline .................................... 770
           f. Follow-up Monitoring; Retaliation ................................. 771
        5. Promotion Process .................................................... 772
     E. Events After Trial ...................................................... 775
 II. Post-trial Motions ......................................................... 777
     A. Standards of Review ..................................................... 777
        1. Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law ............................... 777
        2. Motion to Alter or Amend Judgment .................................... 777
        3. Motion for New Trial ................................................. 778
     B. Madison's Motion to Amend Judgment Under Fed.R.Civ.P. 50, 58 and
         59(e) (Clerk's No. 209) ................................................ 778
        1. Reduction of Damages Under 42 U.S.C. § 1981a(b)(3) .............. 778
           a. Waiver of Affirmative Defense ..................................... 779
           b. Constitutionality of Section 1981a(b)(3) .......................... 780
           c. Application of Cap to Individual Claims ........................... 780
        2. Reallocation of Damages .............................................. 781
        3. Interest ............................................................. 782
           a. Prejudgment Interest .............................................. 782
           b. Post-judgment Interest ............................................ 783
     C. Madison's Claim for Equitable Relief, Including Front Pay (Clerk's No
         174) ................................................................... 783
        1. Standard ............................................................. 784
        2. Discussion ........................................................... 785
     D. IBP's Post-trial Motions ................................................ 786
        1. Motion for New Trial (Clerk's No. 212) ............................... 786
           a. Constructive Demotion ............................................. 786

              1) Errors in Submission ........................................... 786
              2) Sufficiency of Evidence; Treating as Section 1981 Claim......... 788
           b. Punitive Damages................................................... 789
           c. Other Claims of Insufficient Evidence ............................. 793
              1) Failure to Promote ............................................. 793
              2) Hostile Work Environment ....................................... 794
              3) Retaliation .................................................... 795
           d. Other Errors in Jury Instructions and Verdict Forms ............... 796
              1) Preliminary Instructions ....................................... 796
              2) Submission of Claims ........................................... 796
                 a) Insufficient Evidence Supported Claims ...................... 796
                 b) Duplicate Damages ........................................... 797
              3) Instruction on Undisclosed Evidence ............................ 798
              4) Other Instructions, Verdict Form ............................... 799
           e. Mistrial Motions and Trial Conduct ................................ 800
           f. Errors in Evidentiary Rulings ..................................... 801
           g. Statute of Limitations ............................................ 802
           h. Discovery Rulings ................................................. 804
           i. Rulings on Motions in Limine....................................... 805
           j. Errors in Rulings on Closing Arguments ............................ 805
           k. Verdict............................................................ 805
           l. Jury Selection Process ............................................ 806
       2.  Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law (Clerk's No. 213).............. 806
       3.  IBP's Motion to Alter or Amend Judgment (Clerk's No. 214)............. 806
III. Attorney Fees Award......................................................... 806
     A. Lodestar ................................................................ 807
        1. Hourly Rate .......................................................... 808
           a. Conlin ............................................................ 808
           b. Duff .............................................................. 809
           c. Associates......................................................... 809
           d. Law Clerks and Legal Assistants ................................... 809
        2. Reasonable Hours Spent ............................................... 810
           a. Conlin ............................................................ 810
           b. Duff .............................................................. 810
           c. Associates......................................................... 810
           d. Law Clerks and Legal Assistants ................................... 811
     B. Claim For Fee Enhancement ............................................... 811
     C. Claim for Expenses and Costs............................................. 811
        1. Legal Standard ....................................................... 811
        2. Costs Claimed ........................................................ 812
           a. Investigative Work ................................................ 812
           b. Copying/Printing .................................................. 812
           c. Filing and Service Fees ........................................... 813
           d. Deposition ........................................................ 813
           e. Trial Transcript................................................... 813
           f. Expert Witness

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