U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2003

The court reversed summary judgment on the teachers’ First Amendment retaliation claims because the record, viewed in their favor, presented genuine factual disputes about whether protected speech motivated their transfers and whether the transfers would have occurred anyway.

The court reversed the district court because substantial evidence supported the Commissioner’s finding that Jones could perform a limited range of light work, and the ALJ reasonably discounted the asserted severity of her symptoms and her claimed inability to maintain regular attendance.

The court reversed summary judgment for defendants on Alkire’s Fourth Amendment detention claim and his claims concerning imprisonment for nonpayment, because material factual disputes remained about the grounds for detention, the reasons for contempt, and municipal policies.