United States Seventh Circuit

In a breach-of-contract suit by a producer fired by defendant after she had raised concerns about ethics violations in defendant's "To Catch a Predator" news segment, dismissal for failure to state a claim is affirmed where: 1) the unambiguous language of the employment contract allowed defendant to fire plaintiff when and how it did; and 2) there was no implied term in the employment contract restricting defendant from firing plaintiff for reporting breaches of journalistic ethics.

Appellate Information

• Argued 05/28/2008
• Decided 09/11/2008
• Published 09/11/2008

Judges

• WOOD, Circuit Judge., Before EASTERBROOK, Chief Judge, and RIPPLE and WOOD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Seventh Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Karen Hulme Alegi (argued), Gordon & Simmons, Frederick, MD, for Plaintiff-Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Linda T. Coberly (argued), Winston & Strawn, Chicago, IL, for Defendant-Appellee.