Case details
Principal not discriminated against for pregnancy leave: defense
SUMMARY
$0
Amount
Verdict-Defendant
Result type
Not present
Ruling
KEYWORDS
emotional distress, mental, psychological
FACTS
In March 2015, plaintiff Bobbie Castillo, 33, a school’s principal, was terminated from her position at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic School, in La Mirada. Castillo claimed that she was fired because she was pregnant and because she reported misconduct by employees at the school. Castillo sued the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. Paul of the Cross School and the school’s pastor, Father Joseph Visperas, erroneously sued as Joseph Bisperas. Castillo alleged that the defendants’ actions constituted pregnancy discrimination and whistleblower retaliation, resulting in her wrongful termination. Visperas was ultimately removed as a defendant. Castillo claimed that, in March 2014, she told Visperas that she was going on maternity leave and that Visperas responded by asking her if she would be back in two weeks. She claimed that after she announced her pregnancy, she worked without a contract and that she did not sign one until February 2015, after she returned from maternity leave. Castillo also claimed that she was retaliated against for making complaints about school employees improperly making a profit by charging parents money for unworked volunteer hours for school activities, such as the church’s weekly bingo-night fundraiser, as well as for making complaints about a secret bank account and the alleged conduct of the school’s religion teacher. Defense counsel disputed Castillo’s allegations, arguing that Visperas was kidding when he asked when Castillo would be back from maternity leave and that Castillo was allowed to take a proper maternity leave, which she did from October 2014 to January 2015. Counsel also argued that Visperas told Castillo in the spring of 2014 that she would be given a contract for the 2014-15 school year. In addition, defense counsel argued that Castillo was terminated for submitting a plagiarized document that was required for the school’s accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges., Castillo worked for the school since 2007, when she was originally hired as a seventh-grade teacher. She claimed that she suffered from emotional distress as a result of her termination. Castillo sought recovery of past and future lost earnings, and damages for her past and future emotional pain and suffering.
COURT
Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Similar Cases
Negligent tire repair caused serious rollover crash: family
AMOUNT:
$375,000
CASE RESULT:
Plaintiff won
CATEGORY:
Personal Injury
Steep, winding road caused multiple truck crashes: plaintiffs
AMOUNT:
$32,500,000
CASE RESULT:
Plaintiff won
CATEGORY:
Personal Injury
Dangerous highway caused fatal multiple vehicle crash: suit
AMOUNT:
$18,681,052
CASE RESULT:
Plaintiff won
CATEGORY:
Personal Injury
Applicant claimed future care needed after fall from roof
AMOUNT:
$3,500,000
CASE RESULT:
Plaintiff won
CATEGORY:
Personal Injury
Roofer claimed he needs future care after fall from roof
AMOUNT:
$6,000,000
CASE RESULT:
Plaintiff won
INJURIES:
- anxiety
- brain
- brain damage
- brain injury
- cognition
- depression
- epidural
- extradural hematoma
- face
- facial bone
- fracture
- head
- headaches
- hearing
- impairment
- insomnia
- loss of
- mental
- nose
- psychological
- scapula
- sensory
- shoulder
- skull
- speech
- subdural hematoma
- tinnitus
- traumatic brain injury
- vision
- Show More
- Show Less
CATEGORY:
Personal Injury
Plaintiff: Improperly trained delivery personnel caused injuries
AMOUNT:
$4,875,000
CASE RESULT:
Plaintiff won
CATEGORY:
Personal Injury