United States First Circuit

In a political discrimination suit brought by thirty-six former Ranger cadets of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, claiming they were terminated due to their political affiliation with the New Progressive Party, district court's judgment is affirmed in part and vacated in part where: 1) jury's finding of a due process violation and a related award of compensatory damages is vacated as the defendants were entitled to qualified immunity on the due process claim; and 2) jury's finding of a First Amendment violation and the award of nominal and punitive damages are affirmed.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/17/2010
• Published 06/17/2010

Judges

• LIPEZ, Circuit Judge., Before Torruella, Baldock, and Lipez, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States First Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Michelle Camacho-Nieves, Assistant Solicitor General, with whom Irene S. Soroeta-Kodesh, Solicitor General, Leticia Casalduc-Rabell, Deputy Solicitor General, and Zaira Z. Girón-Anadón, Deputy Solicitor General, were on brief, for appellants Salas-Quintana and Cabezudo.


• For Appellees:
  
• Francisco J. González-Magaz, for appellees.