On September 4, 1996, a group of African-American employees filed a complaint, under 42 U.S.C. §1981 and Title VII of U.S.C. §2000(e), against Home Oil Company, Inc. We do not have a copy of the complaint; however, it is evident that the plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, sought injunctive, declaratory, and monetary relief claiming that they were victims of racial discrimination on the basis of promotions, hostile environment, termination, equal pay, and unfair hiring.

On November 7, 1996, the defendant filed a motion to dismiss the claims contained in a portion of the complaint. During the next months, both parties filed responses for and against showing cause as to why the defendants' motion should not be granted. Finally, on April 11, 1997, the Court (Hon. W. Harold Albritton) denied the motion to dismiss the claims.

On June 1, 1998, plaintiffs moved to certify a class, which was denied by the Court on March 9, 1999. Plaintiffs filed a second motion for class certification on June 16, 1999, which was immediately denied on June 28, 1999. The plaintiffs then proceeded on their individual discrimination claims.

On February 16, 2000, the Court granted in part and denied in part the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on the claims of a number, but not all, of the original plaintiffs. The parties mediated the remaining claims. Mediations finally resulted in a settlement in which the Defendant agreed to pay a total of $200,000 to the remaining plaintiffs. On April 13, 2000, plaintiffs filed a motion for attorneys' fees and expenses. On September 22, 2000, the Court ordered that the defendants' pay an additional $186,454.40 in legal expenses and attorneys' fees.

Katrina Campos - 08/13/2010


compress summary