Plaintiff Shanita Alkhaaliq was hired as a legal secretary at Finnegan & Diba in Los Angeles. After working at the firm for nearly a year and a half, Alkhaaliq was terminated from employment by Kasey Diba, the firm’s managing partner. Alkhaaliq sued Kasey Diba and Finnegan & Diba. Alkhaaliq alleged that the defendants’ actions constituted wrongful termination, race discrimination, religious discrimination, and battery. Alkhaaliq contended that she was terminated due to her race (African American) and religion (Christianity). She claimed that Diba would angrily exclaim “Jesus Christ” on a daily basis, including on the date of her termination, and that when she responded to Diba that he should not take the lord’s name in vain, she was asked to leave and was eventually fired. Thus, Alkhaaliq claimed that she was fired due to her “standing up” for Jesus Christ on that occasion and that the termination constituted religious discrimination. She further claimed that on two separate occasions, Diba bit her arm and headbutted her, both occurring roughly one year before her termination. Defense counsel argued that Alkhaaliq was never discriminated against in any form. Counsel also argued that Alkhaaliq was terminated for habitual tardiness (which Diba and the firm claimed Alkhaaliq was repeatedly admonished for), having a bad attitude, and incompetence. Defense counsel further argued that Alkhaaliq had an undisclosed pregnancy when she was terminated, and that she was engaging in a shakedown that was so obvious that her own husband and family refused to testify on her behalf. In addition, Diba claimed that the alleged battery was a total fabrication created by Alkhaaliq, which was unsupported by a single record, witness or treatment., Alkhaaliq claimed she was owed unpaid wages, in that she received her last check late and it miscalculated her vacation time. She also claimed that she lost earnings as a result of being out of work for two years, and that she suffered emotional distress as a result of the battery and termination. Thus, Alkhaaliq sought $600 in unpaid wages, $150,000 for two years of lost earnings resulting from her alleged wrongful termination, and a nominal amount of damages for the alleged battery and emotional distress. Defense counsel argued that Alkhaaliq was terminated for legitimate business reasons and was owed zero damages. Counsel also filed a motion for nonsuit regarding Alkhaaliq’s unpaid wages claim.