Serrano v. Priest

Defendant Palomar Memorial Hospital (Palomar) summarily fired plaintiff Ruth Walker from her position as head nurse on October 19, 1978. Walker brought this action, charging she was wrongfully discharged without cause and without a pretermination hearing. The case was tried before a jury and after both sides rested, the court granted a defense motion for nonsuit as to the individual defendants. The court then found as a matter of law that Palomar did not need cause to fire Walker and granted Palomars motion for a directed verdict in favor of the remaining defendants. The jurors, questioning the courts factual base for such direction, refused to sign the verdict form as ordered. Faced with this refusal, the court itself entered judgment for the defendants.