United States Ninth Circuit

A defendant cannot raise a mixed-motive defense to liability for discrimination claims brought under 42 U.S.C. section 1981, and such defense, even if proven as an undisputed fact, does not provide a basis for summary judgment in a section 1981 case. However, a mixed-motive defense to liability is available for a retaliation claim brought under section 1981. In an action raising federal law race discrimination and retaliation claims and state law discrimination claims, which arose when defendant-Screen Actors Guild fired African-American plaintiff after an investigation concluded she authorized certain payments available for Guild use to friends, business partners, and her husband's production company, summary judgment for defendants is reversed on all but one claim.

Appellate Information

• Argued 06/06/2006
• Decided 09/26/2007
• Published 09/26/2007

Judges

• Before:  D.W. NELSON, JOHNNIE B. RAWLINSON, and CARLOS T. BEA, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Marco Simons and Lauren Teukolsky, Hadsell & Stormer, Inc., Pasadena, CA, for the appellant., Anne Richardson, Hadsell & Stormer, Inc., Pasadena, CA, for the appellant., Rick Hicks, Hicks & Hicks, Beverly Hills, CA, for the appellant., Eugenia Hicks, Hicks & Hicks, Beverly Hills, CA, for the appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Catherine B. Hagen, O'Melveny & Myers, LLP, Newport Beach, CA, for the appellees., Eric J. Amdursky, O'Melveny & Myers, LLP, Newport Beach, CA, for the appellees., Renee M. Spigarelli, O'Melveny & Myers, LLP, Newport Beach, CA, for the appellees., Ryan W. Rutledge, O'Melveny & Myers, LLP, Newport Beach, CA, for the appellees.