Case: Williams v. Boeing Co.

2:98-cv-00761 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington

Filed Date: June 4, 1998

Closed Date: Feb. 27, 2008

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On June 4, 1998 a group of African Americans filed suit against Boeing Co. and several subsidiaries, their employers, alleging racial discrimination in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. Specifically, they alleged that the defendants had engaged in a pattern or practice of behavior that included policies that had a disparate impact on African-American employees and disparately treated African American employees. They also …

On June 4, 1998 a group of African Americans filed suit against Boeing Co. and several subsidiaries, their employers, alleging racial discrimination in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. Specifically, they alleged that the defendants had engaged in a pattern or practice of behavior that included policies that had a disparate impact on African-American employees and disparately treated African American employees. They also alleged that the defendant had breached its employment contract with them and had engaged in negligent misrepresentation. They sought class certification, injunctive relief, and damages.

On September 30, 1999 the district court (Judge Coughenour) certified a class of roughly 15,000 members comprising all salaried African-American employed by the defendants since June 6, 1994, and approved a consent decree reached by the parties. It provided for general injunctive relief consisting of prohibition of discrimination, monetary damages for the class of roughly $7.3 million, and attorney fees of $4.05 million.

Various class members objected to the settlement and appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On November 26, 2002, the Ninth Circuit (Judges Berzon, Lay, and Trott) held that the consent decree was unfair and remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings.

On January 10, 2005 the district court (Judge Pechman) granted the defendants summary judgment on 42 U.S.C. § 1981 discrimination claims that had been added by the plaintiffs and were now barred by the statute of limitations. On January 21, 2005 the district court (Judge Pechman) re-certified the class and bifurcated the disparate treatment and disparate impact claims for trial. On January 17, 2006 the district court (Judge Pechman) ruled for the defendants in a bench trial regarding the disparate impact claims and on February 6, 2006 a jury found for the defendants on the disparate treatment claims.

On May 4, 2007 the district court (Judge Pechman) dismissed or transferred all remaining individual claims and entered final judgment. The case concluded on February 27, 2008 when the Ninth Circuit (Judges Beezer, Tallman, and Tashima) affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the plaintiffs on January 10, 2005.

Summary Authors

Michael Perry (9/29/2010)

Related Cases

Dean v. Boeing Company, District of Kansas (2005)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4673478/parties/williams-v-boeing-company/


Judge(s)

Beezer, Robert R. (Washington)

Berzon, Marsha Siegel (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Arai, Ivy D (Washington)

Berman, Steve W. (Washington)

Bharti, Harish (Washington)

Attorney for Defendant
Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

06-35196

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (U.S.)

Williams v. Boeing Company

U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

March 8, 2006

March 8, 2006

Docket

2:98-cv-00761

Docket

March 27, 2008

March 27, 2008

Docket
392

2:98-cv-00761

Minute Order (Approval of Form of Notice to Class Members)

June 23, 1999

June 23, 1999

Order/Opinion
447

2:98-cv-00761

Order (Approving Consent Decree/Class Action Certification)

Sept. 30, 1999

Sept. 30, 1999

Order/Opinion

99-36086

Opinion (Reversing the district court's approval of the consent decree)

Staton v. Boeing Co.

U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Nov. 26, 2002

Nov. 26, 2002

Order/Opinion

99-36086

Opinion (Modifying the opinion of 11/26/02, reversing the disctrict court's approval of the consent decree, and denying motions for rehearing en banc)

Staton v. Boeing Co.

U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

April 29, 2003

April 29, 2003

Order/Opinion
651

2:98-cv-00761

Second Amended Class Action Complaint

Williams v. Boeing Company

June 11, 2004

June 11, 2004

Complaint
793

2:98-cv-00761

Order Granting Defendants' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment

Williams v. Boeing Company

Jan. 10, 2005

Jan. 10, 2005

Order/Opinion
4

2:98-cv-00761

Order on Class Certification

Williams v. Boeing Company

June 1, 2005

June 1, 2005

Order/Opinion
915

2:98-cv-00761

Order on Boeing's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Plaintiffs' Compensation Discrimination Claim and to Decertify the Class as to that Claim

Nov. 4, 2005

Nov. 4, 2005

Order/Opinion

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4673478/williams-v-boeing-company/

Last updated Jan. 23, 2024, 3:08 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
847

ORDER granting in part and denying in part 821 Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Notice by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(RP, )

April 12, 2005

April 12, 2005

RECAP
866

ORDER TRANSFERRING VENUE OF SEVERED ACTION AS TO PLAINTIFF MARY DEAN'S CLAIMS TO US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS, WICHITA DIVISION. by Judge Marsha J. Pechman. (MD)

May 18, 2005

May 18, 2005

RECAP
874

ORDER denying 855 Motion to Certify SubClass of Non-Heritage Salaried Employees; signed by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(SC, )

June 9, 2005

June 9, 2005

RECAP
884

MINUTE ORDER denying Pltf's request for a protective order; signed by Docket Clerk M. Duett at the direction of Judge Marsha J. Pechman. (SC, )

Aug. 8, 2005

Aug. 8, 2005

RECAP
915

ORDER granting in part 890 Motion for Partial Summary Judgment by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Nov. 4, 2005

Nov. 4, 2005

Clearinghouse
993

ORDER denying 935 Motion in Limine to exclude testimony of Carmen Brown and Robin Green by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
994

ORDER granting 938 Motion in Limine to bar Boeing from amending its pretrial statement to add witnesses and exhibits. by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
995

ORDER denying 928 Motion in Limine to bar Boeing from challenging its own promotion indicator by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
996

ORDER granting 937 Motion in Limine to exclude references to Beck v. Boeing gender class action and consent decree by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
998

ORDER denying 917 Motion in Limine to exclude testimony by Dr. Ward as to cohort analysis. by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
999

ORDER denying 924 Motion in Limine to bar Dr. Haworth from testifying about Dr. Ward's cohort analysis. by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
1000

ORDER denying 941 Motion in Limine to exclude compensation analyses and related materials. By Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
1001

ORDER denying 929 Motion in Limine to exclude evidence on OFCCP compliance, negotiations, and settlement by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
1002

ORDER denying 919 Motion in Limine to exclude expert testimony of Shirley Wilcher by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
1003

ORDER granting 950 Motion in Limine to limit testimony of Boeing's expert Leonard J. Biermann by Judge Marsha J. Pechman.(DW)

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

RECAP
1037

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW re disparate impact claim; by Judge Marsha J. Pechman. (DW)

Jan. 17, 2006

Jan. 17, 2006

RECAP

Case Details

State / Territory: Washington

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

Private Employment Class Actions

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: June 4, 1998

Closing Date: Feb. 27, 2008

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

African-American salaried employees of Boeing from June 6, 1994 to the present.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Boeing Co. (Seattle, King), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1981

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Non-settlement Outcome

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Defendant

Nature of Relief:

None

Source of Relief:

None

Issues

General:

Pattern or Practice

Retaliation

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Other Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc)

Pay / Benefits

Promotion

Training

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black