Woodruff Obtains Two Favorable Appellate Court Wins for Public Agency Clients

Woodruff obtained a favorable appellate decision upholding summary adjudication in Roe v. County of Orange.  In this case, Plaintiff, a deputy, sued the County and another deputy who she alleged was her supervisor on various FEHA causes of action, including sexual harassment, alleging the other deputy sexually assaulted her while they were on an out-of-state extradition. The County obtained a judgment in its favor on the sexual harassment cause of action based on a finding that, as a matter of law, the male deputy was not the female deputy’s supervisor and, therefore, the County could not be held liable for his actions.

Another favorable appellate decision was obtained on behalf of the Orange Transportation Authority in Shed v. OCTA.  In this case, Plaintiff sued OCTA claiming her toes were crushed when the bus driver lowered the wheelchair ramp on her foot. We obtained a defense verdict at trial, with the judge finding that, while the OCTA driver was negligent in lowering the ramp and that Plaintiff’s toe was injured, she had not proved her damages, and he then rendered a defense verdict.