Fishman v. Clancy

COFFIN, Circuit Judge. Defendant-appellants are the superintendent and a principal in the East Greenwich, Rhode Island, school district. A jury found that they retaliated against plaintiff, a teacher in the school system, for her exercise of the First Amendment rights. The jury returned a verdict against the superintendent, William Clancy, in the amount of $5,036.42 compensatory damages and $39,000 punitive damages. The verdict against Stephen Coppinger, the principal, was for $5,036.42 compensatory damages and $26,000 punitive damages. Defendants appeal on several grounds. They claim that plaintiff failed to present sufficient evidence that they violated her civil rights, and that the district court thus erred in denying a directed verdict or judgment notwithstanding the verdict. They also argue that the punitive damage awards were unwarranted and excessive, and that the amount of attorneys fees awarded was unjustified. We affirm.