No. 25-70

William Kelly v. Graphic Packaging International, LLC

Lower Court: Sixth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-07-21
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Tags: americans-with-disabilities-act compensatory-damages jury-trial punitive-damages retaliation seventh-amendment
Key Terms:
EmploymentDiscrimina
Latest Conference: 2025-09-29
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Seventh Amendment and 42 U.S.C. § 1981a(c)(1) guarantee a jury trial when a plaintiff seeks compensatory or punitive damages for retaliation under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, precluding a district court from striking a timely jury demand and conducting a bench trial

Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Whether the Seventh Amendment and 42 U.S.C. § 1981a(c)(1) guarantee a jury trial when a plaintiff seeks compensatory or punitive damages for retaliation under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, precluding a district court from striking a timely jury demand and conducting a bench trial. 2. Whether a district court’s grant of summary judgment on ADA discrimination and accommodation claims —despite genuine disputes of material fact —and its later factual findings that the employer’s “ restriction -free” return -to-work rule violated the ADA, demonstrate the kind of credibility -laden disputes that Rule 56 and the Seventh Amendment reserve for a jury, requiring reversal. 3. Whether the Sixth Circuit violated Federal Rule 52(a)(6) and the Seventh Amendment by affirming a bench judgment that rested on credibility determinations a jury should have made after the district court erroneously denied Petitioner his jury right.

Docket Entries

2025-10-06
Petition DENIED.
2025-09-03
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
2025-08-20
Brief of Graphic Packaging International, LLC in opposition submitted.
2025-08-20
Brief of respondent Graphic Packaging International, LLC in opposition filed.
2025-07-15

Attorneys

Graphic Packaging International, LLC
Stephanie R. SetteringtonVarnum LLP, Respondent
Stephanie R. SetteringtonVarnum LLP, Respondent
William Kelly
Gwen-Marie DavisGDH Law Firm, Petitioner
Gwen-Marie DavisGDH Law Firm, Petitioner