# Brooks v. Fast Change Lube & Oil Inc.

> District Court, S.D. West Virginia · May 31, 2022

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10730428

## Case

- **Court:** District Court, S.D. West Virginia
- **Decided:** May 31, 2022
- **Opinion:** 100trialcourt
- **Cited by:** 0 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10730428

## How later opinions describe it (automated extraction)

- finding that employee’s termination was the result of legitimate reasons unrelated to FMLA request rather than retaliation
- explaining that state law governs whether service was proper when service of process occurred prior to removal
- finding that the plaintiff established a prima facie case of FMLA retaliation when she was suspended on the morning of her return from FMLA leave and then terminated within a month
- explaining that a review of the complaint is “a context-specific task that requires the reviewing court to draw on its judicial experience and common sense”

## Opinion text

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA

CHARLESTON DIVISION

MARK A. BROOKS,

Plaintiff,

v. CIVIL ACTION NO. 2:21-cv-00672

FAST CHANGE LUBE & OIL INC. et al.,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Pending before the Court is a Motion to Dismiss submitted by Defendants Fast Change
Lube & Oil Inc. (“Fast Change”) and Ed Sorrell (“Sorrell”) (collectively “Defendants”). (ECF
No. 3.) For the reasons discussed more fully below, the motion is GRANTED IN PART and
DENIED IN PART.
I. BACKGROUND
Plaintiff Mark A. Brooks (“Plaintiff”) filed this action, alleging that his employment was
unlawfully terminated after he was injured at work. (ECF No. 1-1.) On or about August 7, 2019,
Plaintiff allegedly injured his right foot while at work, and, at some point, was diagnosed with a
tear of his right foot peroneal tendon. (See id. at 3, ¶¶ 7-8.) Plaintiff claims he filed for West
Virginia Worker’s compensation benefits on October 25, 2019, but continued to work for
Defendant Fast Change despite his pain. (Id. at 4, ¶ 9-10.) However, according to the Complaint,
Plaintiff requested leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) on or about September
12, 2019, after his physician “informed him that if he did not rest his foot and take time off work,
1
his injury would become worse and likely permanent.” (Id. at ¶ 11.) Plaintiff states that his
request for FMLA leave was granted from September 16, 2019, through December 9, 2019, and
that Defendants were aware of his FMLA leave. (Id. at ¶ 12.)
Then, Plaintiff alleges that, on or about October 7, 2019, his physician issued him a written
excuse from work until January 13, 2020, and Defendants were provided a copy of this excuse.

(Id. at ¶ 13.) Plaintiff claims he advised Defendants that he had a foot surgery scheduled for
January 2020, and that “he was expected to be able to return to work soon thereafter.” (Id. at ¶
14.) Thus, Plaintiff states he did not return to work when his approved FMLA period ended on
December 9, 2019. (Id. at ¶ 15.)
Despite this excuse, Plaintiff alleges that, on or about December 19, 2019, Defendant Fast
Change, by and through Defendant Sorrell, asked Plaintiff if he could return to work. (Id. at 4-5,
¶ 16.) Plaintiff claims that, although he replied that he could not return to work “per his doctor’s
recommendation,” he also explained that once his surgery was completed in January 2020, “it
would not be long before he could return to work.” (Id.) Yet, Defendant Fast Change, by and

through Defendant Sorrell, allegedly terminated Plaintiff without cause on that same day. (Id. at
5, ¶ 17.)
Plaintiff then initiated this action in the Circuit Court of Logan County, West Virginia, on
November 22, 2021. (See ECF No. 1.) The Complaint asserts claims for (1) “Retaliatory
Discharge/Workers Compensation Discrimination” under the West Virginia Workers’
Compensation Act (“WVWCA”), (2) “Disability Discrimination and Failure to Provide
Accommodation,” (3) “Retaliation and Discrimination of the [FMLA].” (ECF No. 1-1 at 5–8.)
Defendants removed the matter to this Court on December 27, 2021. (ECF No. 1.)

2
The next day, Defendants filed the pending motion to dismiss the complaint for failure to
state a claim upon which relief may be granted. (ECF No. 4.) Plaintiffs filed a response, (ECF
No. 8), and Defendant timely relied, (ECF No. 9). As such, this motion is fully briefed and ripe
for adjudication.
II. LEGAL STANDARD

A motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted tests the
legal sufficiency of a civil complaint. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). A plaintiff must allege sufficient
facts, which, if proven, would entitle him to relief under a cognizable legal claim. Bell Atl. Corp.
v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 554–55 (2007). A case should be dismissed if, viewing the well-
pleaded factual allegations in the complaint as true and in the light most favorable to the plaintiff,
the complaint does not contain “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.”
Id. at 570. In applying this standard, a court must utilize a two-pronged approach. First, it must
separate the legal conclusions in the complaint from the factual allegations. Ashcroft v. Iqbal,
556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009). Second, assuming the truth of only the factual allegations, the court

must determine whether the plaintiff’s complaint permits a reasonable inference that “the
defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. Well-pleaded factual allegations are
required; labels, conclusions, and a “formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will
not do.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555; see also King v. Rubenstein, 825 F.3d 206, 214 (4th Cir.
2016) (“Bare legal conclusions ‘are not entitled to the assumption of truth’ and are insufficient to
state a claim.” (quoting Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 679)). A plaintiff’s “[f]actual allegations must be
enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level,” thereby “nudg[ing] [the] claims across
the line from conceivable to plausible.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 570.

3
III. DISCUSSION
In the pending motion, Defendants advance arguments against all of Plaintiff’s asserted
causes of action that they fail to state claims.1 Defendants also argue that Plaintiff failed to serve
Defendant Sorrell and state a claim against Defendant Sorrell in his individual capacity. Each is
discussed below.

A. State Administrative Decision
As an initial matter, the Court must determine whether to consider a decision rendered by
the West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Office of Judges (“OOJ”),2 which was attached to
Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss. (ECF No. 4 at 18.) Defendants argue that Plaintiff failed to
state a claim under § 23-5A-3 of the WVWCA3 because the OOJ already found that Plaintiff did
not suffer an injury in the course of and resulting from his employment. (ECF No. 4 at 4-5.)
Defendants reason that the Court can consider the OOJ decision because it is integral to the
Complaint, (ECF No. 4 at 1 n.1), and because the doctrine of res judicata applies, (ECF No. 9 at

1 Throughout their briefs, Defendants argue that Plaintiff failed to “state a prima facie claim.” (See, e.g., ECF No. 4
at 6.) However, as discussed more fully below, a plaintiff need not meet the prima facie elements to survive a Rule
12(b)(6) motion to dismiss. Thus, for the purpose of this motion, the Court will construe Defendants’ statements that
Plaintiff failed to make a prima facie showing as arguments that Plaintiff failed to state a claim.
2 In West Virginia, the Workers’ Compensation Commission (the “Commission”) renders an initial decision on an
employee’s compensation claim. See W. Va. Code § 23-5-1(a). If a party is dissatisfied with the Commission’s
decision, it can “object” and appeal the decision to the OOJ, see W. Va. Code §§ 23-5-1 to 23-5-6, which is composed
of a chief administrative law judge (“ALJ”) and a staff of ALJs who are authorized to review the Commission’s
decision de novo, see W. Va. Code §§ 23-5-8 & 23-5-9. The OOJ’s decision may be appealed to the Workers’
Compensation Board of Review, see W. Va. Code § 23-5-11(b), and the final arbiter of workers’ compensation
disputes is the state supreme court, W. Va. Code § 23-5-15(a).
3 Section Three provides the following:

It shall be a discriminatory practice within the meaning of section one of this article to terminate an
injured employee while the injured employee is off work due to a compensable injury within the
meaning of article four of this chapter and is receiving or is eligible to receive temporary total
disability benefits, unless the injured employee has committed a separate dischargeable offense.

W. Va. Code § 23-5A-3 (emphasis added). For a compensable injury under article four, “three elements must coexist:
(1) a personal injury (2) received in the course of employment and (3) resulting from that employment.” Gill v. City
of Charleston, 783 S.E.2d 857, 861 (W. Va. 2016); see also W. Va. Code § 23–4–1(a).
4
6 n. 2). While Plaintiff does not seem to object, (see ECF No. 8 at 6), the Court cannot consider
the OOJ’s decision at this juncture.
1. The OOJ decision is not integral to the Complaint.
“Rule 12(b)(6) does not mandate that a district court treat a motion to dismiss as a motion
for summary judgment simply because the moving party includes exhibits with its motion.”

Pueschel v. United States, 369 F.3d 345, 354 n.3 (4th Cir. 2004). It “only requires that a motion
to dismiss be treated as a motion for summary judgment when the motion to dismiss or exhibits
present matters outside the nonmoving party’s pleadings and the district court does not exclude
such matters.” Id. Nevertheless, a court may consider extrinsic evidence at the 12(b)(6) stage if
such evidence “was integral to and explicitly relied on in the complaint and [if] the plaintiffs do
not challenge its authenticity.” Am. Chiropractic Ass’n v. Trigon Healthcare, Inc., 367 F.3d 212,
234 (4th Cir. 2004) (quoting Phillips v. LCI Int’l Inc., 190 F.3d 609, 618 (4th Cir. 1999)). This
Court has previously explained the test to determine whether extrinsic documents are “integral” to
a complaint:

[T]he referenced document [must] be central or integral to the claim in the sense
that its very existence, and not the mere information it contains, gives rise to the
legal rights asserted. The cases illustrate this requirement. Thus, where a complaint
in a fraud action references a document containing the alleged material
misrepresentations, the referenced document may be considered part of the
complaint. Similarly, a newspaper article reporting allegedly fraudulent statements
by a corporate officer may be considered part of the complaint in a securities fraud
action, and an allegedly libelous magazine article referred to in a complaint may be
considered part of the complaint in a libel action based on that article.

Tinsley v. OneWest Bank, FSB, 4 F. Supp. 3d 805, 819 (S.D. W. Va. 2014) (quoting Walker v.
S.W.I.F.T. SCRL, 517 F. Supp. 2d 801, 806 (E.D. Va. 2007)).
Here, the OOJ’s decision was not “integral to” or “explicitly relied on” in the Complaint.
5
Plaintiff’s “asserted legal rights” arise from Defendants’ alleged termination of his employment.
These “legal rights” do not arise from his workers’ compensation claim or the alleged denial
thereof. Although the OOJ decision may contain information regarding Plaintiff’s claims, it is
not, as Defendants suggest, integral to the Complaint because it does not give rise to the legal
rights asserted by Plaintiff. Therefore, Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss must be converted to a

motion for summary judgment if the Court is to accept the OOJ’s decision attached thereto.
Although conversion of a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to a motion for summary judgment lies within this
Court’s discretion, see Camastro v. City of Wheeling, 49 F. Supp. 2d 500, 502 (N.D. W. Va. 1998)
(citing Kulwicki v. Dawson, 969 F.2d 1454, 1462 (3d Cir. 1992)), the Court declines to consider
the OOJ’s decision in its disposition of Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss. Instead, the Court will
proceed to examine this motion as a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules
of Civil Procedure.
2. The doctrine of collateral estoppel cannot be applied at the motion to dismiss stage.
Collateral estoppel,4 also referred to as issue preclusion, is an affirmative defense under

Rule 8(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The doctrine of collateral estoppel works to
preclude “relitigation of issues actually litigated and necessary to the outcome of the first action.”
Parklane Hosiery Co. v. Shore, 439 U.S. 322, 356 n. 5 (1979). Federal courts must, as a matter
of full faith and credit, apply the forum state’s law of collateral estoppel.” In re McNallen, 62
F.3d 619, 624 (4th Cir. 1995). However, if the Court is presented with an unreviewed state

4 The Court notes that Defendants argued that the doctrine of res judicata applied. However, res judicata is a “rule
of fundamental and substantial justice,” Peugeot Motors of Am., Inc. v. E. Auto Distributors, Inc., 892 F.2d 355, 359
(4th Cir. 1989), whereby “a final judgment on the merits bars further claims by parties or their privies based on the
same causes of action,” Young-Henderson v. Spartanburg Area Mental Health Ctr., 945 F.2d 770, 773 (4th Cir. 1991)
(emphasis added) (quoting Montana v. United States, 440 U.S. 147, 153 (1979)). Thus, because Defendants are
arguing that the OOJ already decided the issue of whether Plaintiff sustained a compensable injury, the doctrine of
collateral estoppel would apply, rather than the doctrine of res judicata.
6
administrative decision, the Full Faith and Credit Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1738, is inapplicable. Hall v.
Marion Sch. Dist. No. 2, 31 F.3d 183, 191 (4th Cir. 1994). In such a circumstance, the Supreme
Court of the United States (“Supreme Court”) set out a test for determining whether a federal court
should give preclusive effect to the unreviewed factual findings of a state administrative body;5
then, if that test is met, the Court turns to state law. University of Tennessee v. Elliott, 478 U.S.

788 (1986).
Under West Virginia law, the doctrine of collateral estoppel applies if four conditions are
met:
(1) The issue previously decided is identical to the one presented in the action in
question; (2) there is a final adjudication on the merits of the prior action; (3) the
party against whom the doctrine is invoked was a party or in privity with a party to
a prior action; and (4) the party against whom the doctrine is raised had a full and
fair opportunity to litigate the issue in the prior action.

State v. Miller, 459 S.E.2d 114 (W. Va. 1995).
However, the Fourth Circuit has instructed that Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6)
tests the sufficiency of a complaint, and generally does not reach the merits of an affirmative
defense. Goodman v. Praxair, Inc., 494 F.3d 458, 464 (4th Cir. 2007). Goodman recognized
that there are relatively “rare circumstances where facts sufficient to rule on an affirmative defense
are alleged in the complaint[.]” Id. Thus, all facts necessary to the affirmative defense must
clearly appear on the face of the complaint, id., because “[t]o require otherwise would require a

5 Specifically, the Supreme Court provided the following test:

[W]hen a state agency [1] ‘acting in a judicial capacity . . . [2] resolves disputed issues of fact
properly before it [3] which the parties have had an adequate opportunity to litigate,’ federal courts
must give the agency’s fact finding the same preclusive effect to which it would be entitled in the
State’s courts.

Elliott, 478 U.S. at 798–99 (quoting United States v. Utah Constr. & Mining Co., 384 U.S. 394, 422 (1966)).
7
plaintiff to plead affirmatively in his complaint matters that might be responsive to affirmative
defenses even before the affirmative defenses are raised,” id. at 466. Further, the Fourth Circuit
later emphasized that incorporation by reference is not appropriate in this context, “[n]or should
‘judicial notice’ be used as an expedient for courts to consider ‘matters beyond the pleadings’ and
thereby upset the procedural rights of litigants to present evidence on disputed matters.” Waugh

Chapel S., LLC v. United Food & Com. Workers Union Loc. 27, 728 F.3d 354, 360 (4th Cir. 2013)
(internal citations omitted).
Here, the Court cannot determine if collateral estoppel applies from the face of the
Complaint. See Goodman, 494 F.3d at 464. First and foremost, while the Complaint states that
Plaintiff filed for workers’ compensation benefits on October 25, 2019, (ECF No. 1-1 at 4, ¶ 9), it
does not indicate whether a decision was rendered or whether Plaintiff appealed any decision.
Thus, the Court cannot analyze whether the Full Faith and Credit Act or federal common law
applies. Further, the Court cannot determine that “there was a final adjudication on the merits,”
or whether Plaintiff had a “full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue” under West Virginia law.

Although these facts may be gleaned from the OOJ’s decision, taking judicial notice of the prior
adjudication would run afoul of Waugh. Thus, the doctrine of collateral estoppel cannot be
applied at this juncture.
Consequently, the OOJ’s decision will not be considered in resolving the pending motion
to dismiss.
B. Workers’ Compensation Retaliation/Discrimination

8
In Count One6 of the Complaint, Plaintiff alleges that he was terminated for “filing for
and/or receiving West Virginia Workers’ Compensation benefits, an act protected by W. Va. Code
§ 23-5A-3” after he was injured “within the course and scope of” his employment with Defendant
Fast Change. (See ECF No. 1-1 at 4, ¶¶ 21-22.) In response to Defendants’ argument that
Plaintiff failed to state a claim under § 23-5A-3, Plaintiff counters that “Defendants’ argument

fails to acknowledge the elements of a claim for workers’ compensation discrimination and/or
retaliation as contained in W. Va. Code § 23-5A-1[.]” (ECF No. 8 at 5.) In reply, Defendants
argue that, even though Plaintiff is attempting to improperly assert a new cause of action under §
23-5A-1, he still fails to state a claim. (See ECF No. 9 at 5.) As discussed more fully below,
Defendants are mistaken.
The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia (“WVSCA”) established the following
test for a claim under West Virginia Code § 23–5A–1:
In order to make a prima facie case of discrimination under W. Va. Code, 23–5A–
1, the employee must prove that: (1) an on-the-job injury was sustained; (2)
proceedings were instituted under the Workers’ Compensation Act, W. Va. Code,
23–1–1, et seq.; and (3) the filing of a workers’ compensation claim was a
significant factor in the employer’s decision to discharge or otherwise discriminate
against the employee.

Syl. Pt. 1, Powell v. Wyoming Cablevision, Inc., 403 S.E.2d 717, 718 (W. Va. 1991); compare with
W. Va. Code § 23-5A-3 and Gill, 783 S.E.2d at 861.
Admittedly, the Complaint describes Plaintiff’s injury as occurring “within the course and
scope of” employment, see Gill, 783 S.E.2d at 861, as opposed to “an on-the-job injury,” see W.
Va. Code § 23-5A-1, and asserts that Plaintiff “did not commit any separate dischargeable
offense,” (ECF No. 1-1 at 6, ¶ 25), which is language taken verbatim from section three. Still,

6 The Complaint mislabels this count, which is the first cause of action listed, as “Count 2.” (ECF No. 1-1 at 5.)
9
Plaintiff only references section three in the Complaint—he did not explicitly state he is asserting
a claim under section three.
Further, the Complaint’s factual allegations support a plausible claim under section one.
For the first two elements, Plaintiff alleges that his foot was injured while he was at work,7 (ECF
No. 1-1 at 2, ¶ 7), and that he was “filing for and/or receiving” workers’ compensation benefits,

(id. at 5, ¶ 21). For the third element, Plaintiff claims that, during his employment, he “completed
all of his job duties in a satisfactory or above satisfactory manner and committed no separate
dischargeable offense,” (id. at 3, ¶ 5), and that Defendants’ retaliatory motive can be inferred from
the temporal proximity between his workers’ compensation claim and termination, (see id. at 6, ¶
24). Thus, while it is “axiomatic that the complaint may not be amended by the briefs in
opposition to a motion to dismiss,” Greene v. Ballard, No. 2:17-CV-02897, 2020 WL 1482568, at
*2 (S.D. W. Va. Mar. 27, 2020), appeal dismissed, 823 F. App’x 204 (4th Cir. 2020), the
Complaint’s factual allegations support a plausible claim under § 23-5A-1.
Accordingly, Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s WVWCA claim is DENIED.

C. Retaliation under the Family Medical Leave Act
An FMLA retaliation claim arises under 29 U.S.C. § 2615(a)(2), which states that “[i]t
shall be unlawful for any employer to discharge or in any other manner discriminate against any
individual for opposing any practice made unlawful by this subchapter.” “[A] plaintiff can either
(1) produce direct and indirect evidence of retaliatory animus or (2) demonstrate intent by
circumstantial evidence, which [courts] evaluate under the framework established for Title VII

7 Although Defendants argue that Plaintiff cannot establish the first element because the OOJ allegedly found that
Plaintiff did not sustain an on-the-job injury, the Court is not considering the OOJ decision in resolving this motion
to dismiss, as discussed above.
10
cases in McDonnell Douglas.” Fry v. Rand Constr. Corp., 964 F.3d 239, 244 (4th Cir. 2020),
cert. denied, 141 S. Ct. 2595, 209 L. Ed. 2d 732 (2021) (internal quotations and citations omitted).
An FMLA retaliation plaintiff proceeding under the McDonnell Douglas framework “must first
make a prima facie showing [1] that he engaged in protected activity, [2] that the employer took
adverse action against him, and [3] that the adverse action was causally connected to the plaintiff’s

protected activity.” Yashenko v. Harrah’s NC Casino Co., LLC, 446 F.3d 541, 551 (4th Cir. 2006)
(internal quotation marks omitted). “Once the plaintiff proffers evidence establishing his prima
facie case, and the employer offers a non-retaliatory reason of the adverse action, the plaintiff
‘bears the burden of establishing that the employer’s proffered explanation is pretext for FMLA
retaliation.’” Vannoy v. Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, 827 F.3d 296, 304 (4th Cir. 2016)
(quoting Yashenko, 446 F.3d at 551).
However, a plaintiff “need not plead a prima facie case” at the motion to dismiss stage.
Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N.A., 534 U.S. 506, 515 (2002); see Woods v. City of Greensboro, 855
F.3d 639, 646 (4th Cir. 2017). Rather, as the Supreme Court8 explained, the “prima facie case”

requirement of McDonnell Douglas applies only at the summary judgment phase because it “is an
evidentiary standard, not a pleading requirement.” Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 510. Therefore,
the framework set forth in McDonnell Douglas and its shifting burdens of proof are inapplicable
to the instant analysis.

8 In Swierkiewicz, the Court relied in part on the long-used minimal pleading standard adopted in Conley v. Gibson,
355 U.S. 41 (1957). See Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 512–14. In Iqbal and Twombly, however, the Court abandoned
Conley’s “no set of facts” test and adopted instead a plausibility standard of pleading. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 669–70;
Twombly, 550 U.S. at 562–63. Still, Twombly expressly reaffirmed Swierkiewicz's holding that the “‘use of a
heightened pleading standard for Title VII cases was contrary to the Federal Rules’ structure of liberal pleading
requirements,’” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, and the Fourth Circuit explicitly held that Swierkiewicz’s instruction that
a “plaintiff need not plead a prima facie case . . . to survive [a] motion to dismiss” is still binding precedent, McCleary-
Evans v. Maryland Dep’t of Transp., State Highway Admin., 780 F.3d 582, 586 (4th Cir. 2015).
11
Here, Plaintiff asserts a retaliation claim under the FMLA, alleging that Defendants
“retaliated and discriminated” against him by terminating his employment because he took FMLA
leave.9 (See ECF No. 1-1 at 7-8, ¶¶ 36-37.) However, in the motion to dismiss, Defendants claim
that Plaintiff cannot satisfy the first element because Plaintiff “confirmed that upon the expiration
of his FMLA, he was unable or unwilling to return to work.” (ECF No. 4 at 11-12.) Thus, while

it cannot be disputed that taking FMLA leave is a protected activity, see Yashenko, 446 F.3d at
551, Defendants argue that the first element is not satisfied because Plaintiff was not engaged in a
protected activity at the time of his alleged termination, (see ECF No. 4 at 13). This argument is
unpersuasive for a number of reasons.
Notably, it would defy common sense to believe that an employee cannot be retaliated
against simply because they are no longer engaged in a protected activity. See Iqbal, 556 U.S. at
679 (explaining that a review of the complaint is “a context-specific task that requires the
reviewing court to draw on its judicial experience and common sense”). For example, based on
Defendants’ argument, a plaintiff who is terminated immediately upon his or her return to work

after taking FMLA leave would not have a claim for retaliation because he or she was not
terminated while on FMLA leave. But see Laing v. Fed. Exp. Corp., 703 F.3d 713, 720 (4th Cir.
2013) (finding that the plaintiff established a prima facie case of FMLA retaliation when she was
suspended on the morning of her return from FMLA leave and then terminated within a month).
Thus, Defendants’ overly broad interpretation would turn section 2615(a)(2)’s proscriptive right

9 There are two types of claims under the FMLA: (1) unlawful interference with FMLA rights, 29 U.S.C.A. §
2615(a)(1), and (2) unlawful retaliation related to the exercise of FMLA rights, id. § 2615(a)(2). Here, although the
Complaint alleged that Plaintiff’s termination “unlawfully interfered with, restrained, and/or denied Plaintiff Brooks
the exercise of his FMLA rights,” (ECF No. 1-1 at 7-8, ¶ 37), Plaintiff concedes that he did not assert a claim for
interference with the FMLA, (ECF No. 8 at 10). Thus, any claim for FMLA interference is DISMISSED.
12
into an almost empty and unenforceable pronouncement.
Additionally, the plain language of the statute does not support Defendants’ argument.
See Banker v. Banker, 474 S.E.2d 265, 476-477 (W. Va. 1996) (“It is not for [courts] arbitrarily to
read into [a statute] that which it does not say”). Moreover, Defendants’ interpretation is contrary
to federal common law and wholly unsupported by any cited legal authority, as discussed below.

To start, Defendants’ interpretation is contradicted by clearly established Fourth Circuit
and Supreme Court precedent, which provides that the third element of causation for a prima facie
case can be established if the “‘temporal proximity between an employer’s knowledge of protected
activity and an adverse employment action’ was ‘very close.’” Shields v. Fed. Express Corp.,
120 Fed. Appx. 956 (4th Cir. 2005) (quoting Clark Cty. Sch. Dist. v. Breeden, 532 U.S. 268, 273
(2001)) (per curiam); see also Yashenko, 446 F.3d at 551. While there is no bright line timeframe
to establish causation for a prima facie case, the Fourth Circuit has held that a one-month period
between the protected activity and an adverse employment action is sufficient to create a jury
question regarding the causation prong of a prima facie case. See Foster v. Univ. of Maryland-E.

Shore, 787 F.3d 243, 247 (4th Cir. 2015). Thus, it is clear a plaintiff does not have to be engaged
in the protected activity at the time of the adverse employment action for an FMLA retaliation
claim.
Additionally, Defendants cite to laws governing an interference claim for the denial of
Plaintiff’s substantive right to resume his position at the end of his FMLA leave.10 Specifically,

10 An FMLA interference claim arises under 29 U.S.C. § 2615(a)(1), which states that “[i]t shall be unlawful for any
employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of or the attempt to exercise, any right provided under this
subchapter.” In particular, following any FMLA leave, “an employee has the right to reinstatement to his or her
original position or an equivalent post.” Vannoy, 827 F.3d at 301 (citing 29 U.S.C. § 2614(a)(1)). On the other
hand, an employee who has returned from such leave is not entitled to “any right, benefit, or position of employment”
that the employee would not have been entitled to “had the employee not taken the leave.” 29 U.S.C. § 2614(a)(3)(B).
In particular, “[i]f the employee is unable to perform an essential function of the position because of a physical or
13
Defendants quote C.F.R. § 825.216(c), which outlines the parameters of an employee’s right to
reinstatement after taking FMLA leave and, thus, relates to an interference claim, (see ECF No. 4
at 11-12), and one of the cases Defendants cite to for support analyzes an FMLA interference
claim, see Hall v. Grant Cnty. Bd. of Educ., No. 2:07-CV-98, 2009 WL 10710240, at *1 (N.D.W.
Va. Jan. 28, 2009) (granting summary judgment on the plaintiff’s FMLA interference claim in

favor of defendant because the plaintiff could not return to work after his FMLA leave expired).
Because FMLA interference and retaliation claims are very clearly not interchangeable, these legal
authorities are inapplicable.
Further, every single case Defendants cite to for support are at the motion for summary
judgment stage. See Boone v. Bd. Of Governors of Univ. of N. Carolina, 858 F. App’x 622, 624
(4th Cir. 2021) (affirming the district court’s grant of summary judgment on the plaintiff’s FMLA
retaliation claim in favor of the defendant because the plaintiff failed to rebut the defendant’s
proffered reason for termination); see Sabouri-Yazdi v. Red Coats, Inc., 751 F. App’x 389, 391
(4th Cir. 2018) (affirming the district court’s grant of summary judgment on the plaintiff’s FMLA

retaliation claim in favor of defendant because the plaintiff was not engaged in activity protected
by the FMLA at the time of her termination); Waag v. Sotera Def. Sols., Inc., 857 F.3d 179, 193
(4th Cir. 2017) (affirming district court’s grant of summary judgment for an FMLA retaliation
claim because there was no evidence that employer’s proffered reason for terminating employee
was pretextual). While this difference in procedural posture is substantial, it is even more
significant when analyzing a claim under the McDonnell Douglas framework. As an evidently
necessary reminder, Plaintiff must only plead “sufficient facts, which, if proven, would entitle him

mental condition . . . the employee has no right to restoration to another position under the FMLA.” 29 C.F.R. §
825.216(c).
14
to relief under a cognizable legal claim” at the motion to dismiss stage. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 55.
Importantly, Plaintiff does not even have to make a prima facie case of FMLA retaliation at the
motion to dismiss stage. Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 515. Thus, although Plaintiff’s alleged
inability to perform his duties could be a “non-retaliatory reason” for terminating Plaintiff’s
employment under the second step of the McDonnell Douglas framework, see, e.g., Yashenko, 446

F.3d at 551 (finding that employee’s termination was the result of legitimate reasons unrelated to
FMLA request rather than retaliation), Plaintiff does not have to rebut this at the motion to dismiss
stage, see Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 510, 515. Rather, as Defendants’ cited cases clearly
demonstrate, this argument would be more appropriate on a motion for summary judgment or at
trial. See id.
Accordingly, Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Count III of the Complaint for FMLA
retaliation is DENIED.
D. Disability Discrimination and Failure to Provide Accommodation
In the Complaint, Plaintiff asserts a claim for Disability Discrimination and Failure to

Provide an Accommodation. (ECF No. 1-1 at 5.) Plaintiff states that he suffered a “substantial
foot injury, which constituted [] a temporary disability,” because he was “unable to walk without
assistance and/or be on his feet for a period of time.” (Id. at 6, ¶ 28.) Plaintiff further alleges
that Defendants treated him in a disparate manner “based at least in part upon his disabilities,” by
denying him an accommodation by terminating his employment. (See id. at ¶ 30.)
The West Virginia Human Rights Act (“WVHRA”) provides that “it shall be an unlawful
discriminatory practice for any employer to discriminate against an individual with respect to
compensation, hire, tenure, conditions or privileges of employment if the individual is able and

15
competent to perform the services required even if such individual is . . . disabled[.]” W. Va.
Code § 5-11-9(1). To establish a claim of disability discrimination under the WVHRA, a
“plaintiff must show that he is a disabled person within the meaning of the law, that he is qualified
to perform the essential functions of the job (either with or without reasonable accommodation),
and that he has suffered an adverse employment action under circumstances from which an

inference of unlawful discrimination arises.” Skaggs v. Elk Run Coal Co., 479 S.E.2d 561, 582
n.22 (W. Va. 1996). As with Plaintiff’s claim under the FLMA, Plaintiff’s claim under the
WVHRA will eventually be subject to the burden-shifting paradigm pronounced in McDonnell
Douglas, see id. at 581-82, but, at the motion to dismiss stage, Plaintiff need only plead a plausible
claim, see Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 510, 515.
Here, Defendants move to dismiss this claim, arguing that Plaintiff has failed to state a
prima facie case of discrimination disability. More specifically, Defendants contend that (1)
Plaintiff is not a qualified individual capable of performing the essential functions of his job, and
(2) an additional extended leave of absence is not a reasonable accommodation. (ECF No. 4 at 6-

10.) Each is discussed in turn below.
1. Qualified Individual
A “qualified disabled person” is one who is able “to perform essential functions of the
job” whether or not he requires reasonable accommodation. Skaggs, 479 S.E.2d at 573–74; see
also W. Va. Code § 5-11-9. Importantly, “[a] ‘qualified disabled person’ who is protected by
[the WVHRA] includes a person who has a disability and is temporarily unable to perform the
requirements of the person’s job due to their disability, with or without accommodation.” Syl. Pt.
3, Haynes v. Rhone–Poulenc, Inc., 521 S.E.2d 331, 344 (W. Va. 1999). In Haynes, the plaintiff

16
was unable to work due to complications associated with her pregnancy. Id. at 333. The
plaintiff’s physician submitted a form to the defendant stating that plaintiff’s uncertain “anticipated
return to work date,” was “3/1/97 ??,” id., but the defendant eliminated plaintiff’s job on January
9, 1997, id. at 336. When the plaintiff sued the defendant for disability discrimination under the
WVHRA, the defendant argued that it had no idea when—or even whether—the plaintiff was

going to return to work. Id. at 336-37. However, under those circumstances, the WVSCA found
that the plaintiff was a qualified individual with a disability because the plaintiff’s “temporary
inability to perform the requirements of his or her job” would be remedied by the end of her leave,
as evidenced by her physician’s note. Id. at 344.
In the present motion, Defendants claim that Plaintiff is not a qualified disabled person
because he was “incapable of doing the work,” (ECF No. 4 at 7), and, thus, “must meet the
expanded definition under the total temporary disability condition, (ECF No. 9 at 7.) To that
extent, Defendants also argue that “Plaintiff’s alleged disability was not temporary as there was
no known date for his recovery and no known date that he would be able to return to work, if at

all.” (Id.) According to Defendants, “Plaintiff’s physician extended and re-extended his
recommended time off work,” there was “no doctor’s note stating an anticipated date for the
surgery,” “or an anticipated date that Plaintiff would return [to work,]” and “Plaintiff did not
represent that it was even likely that [he] could return to work.” (Id. at 8.)
However, “viewing the well-pleaded factual allegations in the complaint as true and in the
light most favorable to the plaintiff,” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, Plaintiff has made a plausible
showing that his alleged disability was temporary. Like the plaintiff in Haynes, Plaintiff was
unable to work due to a medical disability, as his doctor determined that Plaintiff’s injury would

17
become worse and likely permanent if he did not rest his foot. (ECF No. 1-1 at 4, ¶ 11.) Similar
to the doctor’s note in Haynes, the note from Plaintiff’s doctor requested an extension of leave
until the specific date of January 13, 2020. Although this note did not specify that this was
Plaintiff’s “anticipated return to work date,” Defendants were informed that Plaintiff expected to
return to work “soon” and “not [] long” after his surgery, which was scheduled for January. (See

id. at ¶¶ 14, 16.) Thus, Plaintiff has made a plausible showing that he is a qualified disabled
person under the WVHRA.
2. Reasonable Accommodation
“[T]he West Virginia Human Rights Commission and [the WVSCA] have inferred that
[the WVHRA] imposes [a] duty of reasonable accommodation,” i.e., “an affirmative obligation
[on employers] to provide reasonable accommodation for disabled individuals.” Skaggs, 479
S.E.2d at 574. To state a claim for breach of that duty, the plaintiff must plead the following
elements:
(1) The plaintiff is a qualified person with a disability; (2) the employer was aware
of the plaintiff’s disability; (3) the plaintiff required an accommodation in order to
perform the essential functions of a job; (4) a reasonable accommodation existed
that met the plaintiff’s needs; (5) the employer knew or should have known of the
plaintiff’s need and of the accommodation; and (6) the employer failed to provide
the accommodation.

Kitchen v. Summers Continuous Care Ctr., LLC, 552 F. Supp. 2d 589, 593 (S.D.W. Va. 2008)
(citing Skaggs, 479 S.E.2d at 575).
Here, Defendants only argue that an additional extended leave of absence is not a
reasonable accommodation under the fourth element because Plaintiff did not give a specific date
of return or indicate a likelihood of returning to work. (ECF No. 4 at 8-10.) Conversely, Plaintiff
counters that his physician “provided a date that Plaintiff could return to work” and that Plaintiff
18
“only needed an accommodation of an additional three to four weeks off from work[.]” (ECF No.
8 at 10.)
Undoubtably, a “required reasonable accommodation may include a temporary leave of
absence . . . for the purpose of recovery from or improvement of the disabling condition that gives
rise to an employee’s temporary inability to perform the requirements of his or her job.” Syl. Pt.

3, Haynes, 521 S.E.2d at 332, 344. Such a leave of absence should, however, be “of limited
duration, so that following a temporary leave of absence for treatment and improvement, it is
reasonably foreseeable that the plaintiff is likely to be able to return to work.” Id. at 344 n.17.
Consequently, although “it is clear . . . that a duty is imposed upon the employer to reasonably
accommodate the [disabled] employee,” Morris Mem’l Convalescent Nursing Home, Inc. v. W.
Virginia Hum. Rts. Comm’n, 431 S.E.2d 353, 359 (1993), such duty is limited where it is not
“reasonably foreseeable that the plaintiff is likely to be able to return to work” following a “totally
disabling medical condition,” Haynes, 521 S.E.2d at 344; cf. Skaggs, 479 S.E.2d at 579-80.
In this case, Plaintiff has plead sufficient facts to show that his requested leave was a

reasonable accommodation at the motion to dismiss stage. As discussed above, although the note
from Plaintiff’s doctor did not indicate a specific date Plaintiff could return to work, Defendants
were informed that Plaintiff expected to return to work soon after his surgery, which was scheduled
in January. Thus, it is plausible that Plaintiff’s requested leave was “of limited duration,” and that
it was “reasonably foreseeable” that he would “likely to be able to return to work.” See Haynes,
521 S.E.2d at 344 n. 17.
Accordingly, the Court DENIES Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Count II for Failure to
Provide an Accommodation and Disability Discrimination.

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E. Proper Service
Next, Defendants argue that any claims against Defendant Sorrell must be dismissed for
lack of jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(2), (5) because he was not served.11 (ECF No. 4 at 13-14.)
Conversely, Plaintiff asserts that the time period for Plaintiff to complete service upon Defendant
Sorrell has not yet ended under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and, thus, this matter is not

ripe yet. (ECF No. 8 at 12 (citing Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m).)
While the time period for Plaintiff to complete service had not yet ended at the time he
filed his Response, it has since expired without a record of any additional attempts to serve
Defendant Sorrell.12 Thus, because the only attempted service occurred prior to Defendants’
removal of this action, the propriety of service must be determined under West Virginia law. See
Wolfe v. Green, 660 F. Supp. 2d 738, 745–46 (S.D. W. Va. 2009) (explaining that state law governs
whether service was proper when service of process occurred prior to removal); Fed. R. Civ. P.
81(c)(1) (providing that the Federal Rules govern attempts to serve process after removal).
West Virginia Rule of Civil Procedure 4(d)(1) provides that service can be effected by,

inter alia, “[t]he clerk sending a copy of the summons and complaint to the individual to be served
by certified mail, return receipt requested, and delivery restricted to the addressee[.]” W. Va. R.
Civ. P. 4(d)(1)(D). Generally, if the plaintiff fails to effect service of process within 120 days
after the filing of the complaint, the court should dismiss the action against that defendant without
prejudice. Syl. Pt. 3, Burkes v. Fas–Chek Food Mart, Inc., 617 S.E.2d 838, 842 (W.Va. 2005);

11 A Rule 12(b)(5) motion is the proper vehicle for challenging the mode of delivery or the lack of delivery of the
summons and complaint. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(5). A Rule 12(b)(2) motion is the proper vehicle for challenging the
district court’s jurisdiction over the defendant’s person. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(2). Because proper service would
give the Court jurisdiction over Defendant Sorrell pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(k)(1), the issues of
personal jurisdiction and service can be treated as a single inquiry.
12 Under West Virginia and federal law, the plaintiff has the burden of showing service was proper. McCoy v. Norfolk
S. Ry. Co., 858 F. Supp. 2d 639, 651 (S.D. W. Va. 2012); Childress v. Thompson, 489 S.E.2d 499, 502 (W. Va. 1997).
20
see also W. Va. R. Civ. P. 4(k). However, the time for service must be extended if the plaintiff
shows “good cause” for the failure. Syl. Pt. 3, Burkes, 617 S.E.2d at 842; see also W. Va. R. Civ.
P. 4(k). Absent a showing of good cause, a court may still “in its discretion extend the time for
service.” Syl. Pt. 3, Burkes, 617 S.E.2d at 842; see also W. Va. R. Civ. P. 4(k).
In this case, Plaintiff filed his Complaint on November 22, 2021. (ECF No. 1-1 at 1.)

Consequently, he had until approximately March 22, 2022, to perfect service. Plaintiff attempted
service on Defendant Sorrell on November 22, 2021, through the West Virginia Secretary of State,
in accordance with Rule 4(d)(1)(D) but acknowledges that “a green card marked with restricted
deliver was returned unsigned to the Logan County Circuit Clerk and filed in this matter” on
December 7, 2021. (ECF No. 8 at 12.) Further, Plaintiff has not argued that good cause exists
as to why service has not been effected, and, because Plaintiff had notice and sufficient time to
obtain service, no good cause appears to exist. See Burkes, 617 S.E.2d at 845 (“To establish good
cause under Rule 4(k), the [party] must show more than mere inadvertence, neglect,
misunderstanding, or ignorance of the rule or its burden.”).

Nonetheless, the Court does have discretion to enlarge the 120–day period, even if there is
not good cause. Burkes, 617 S.E.2d at 845. The WVSCA provided four factors to consider in
making this determination: “(1) whether the defendant evaded service, (2) whether the defendant
knowingly concealed a defect in service, (3) whether the statute of limitations has expired, and (4)
whether the defendant has been prejudiced by the failure to serve.” Id. at 844-45.
Analyzing the factors above, the Court will exercise its discretion to relieve Plaintiff of the
consequences of his untimely service of process. The first two factors are inapplicable, as no facts
in the record exist that suggest or prove Defendants evaded service or concealed defects. The

21
third factor concerning the statute of limitations weighs in Plaintiff’s favor, as dismissal would
effectively bar Plaintiff’s claim.13 And, for the fourth factor, Defendant Sorrell faces no prejudice
by extending the service of process deadline because he clearly knows of the pendency of this
litigation, as he joined in the notice of removal, pending motion to dismiss, and Rule 26(f) meeting.
(See ECF Nos. 1, 3, 10.)

Thus, the Court DENIES WITHOUT PREJUDICE Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the
claims against Defendant Sorrell based on failure of service of process and ORDERS Plaintiff to
serve Defendant Sorrell within 45 days of the entry of this Order.
F. Claim against Sorrell
Defendants move to dismiss any claims against Defendant Sorrell because Plaintiff has
failed to state a cognizable claim against him as an individual. (ECF No. 4 at 14.) Defendants
argue that no claim against Defendant Sorrell, as an individual, can exist because “[b]ased on
Plaintiff’s own pleadings, all claims against Defendant Sorrell were asserted in his capacity as an
employee and supervisor of Fast Change—rather than in his individual capacity.” (ECF No. 9 at

14 (emphasis added).) Further, Defendants assert that Plaintiffs’ claims “require an act or
omission by an employer or a representative of the employer,” and Defendant Sorrell was neither
Plaintiff’s employer nor a representative of Defendant Fast Change. (See ECF No. 4 at 14.)
However, there is no doubt that the WVHRA provides a cause of action for disability
discrimination perpetrated by individuals, including supervisors and/or fellow employees. See
W. Va. Code § 5-11-9(7); Holstein v. Norandex, Inc., 461 S.E.2d 473 (W. Va. 1995). Indeed, any

13 As mentioned earlier, Plaintiff’s termination occurred on December 19, 2019, and the statute of limitations on a
claim under the WVHRA is two years. Wilfong v. Chenoweth Ford, Inc., 451 S.E.2d 773, 779 (W. Va. 1994); Cooper
v. Norfolk & W. Ry. Co., 870 F.Supp. 1410 (S.D. W.Va.1994).
22
person, whether or not that person has decision-making or supervisory authority, can be liable
under the WVHRA if that person “aid[s], abet[s], incite[s], compel[s], or coerce[s] any person to
engage in any of the unlawful discriminatory practices defined in [the Act].” W. Va. Code § 5-
11-9. Thus, Plaintiff can, “as a matter of law, bring a claim against” Defendant Sorrell as an
individual. See Simmons v. Taco Bell of Am., Inc., No. 2:11-CV-00125, 2011 WL 2076413, at *2

(S.D. W. Va. May 25, 2011).
The question is, did he? Defendants argue that Plaintiff did not assert a claim under § 5-
11-9(7) and cannot do so now for the first time in his Response to the motion to dismiss. (ECF
No. 9 at 14.) Conversely, Plaintiff uses the federal pleading standard to argue that his allegation
that Defendant Sorrell was the one who terminated Plaintiff must be viewed in the light most
favorable to him. (See ECF No. 8 at 13.)
Looking to the Complaint, Plaintiff asserts a cause of action for failure to provide an
accommodation and disability discrimination generally “in violation of the [WVHRA].” (ECF
No. 1-1 at 6-7.) The Complaint indicates that Defendant Sorrell acted as Plaintiff’s supervisor,

(id. at 3, ¶ 3), and does not include an allegation of a specific violation of § 5-11-9(7), or the
word(s) “aid, abet, incite, compel, or coerce.” However, Plaintiff does assert that Defendant
Sorrell “participated in the alleged discrimination which ultimately resulted in the [alleged]
wrongful discharge of [] Plaintiff.” See Farmer v. Spartan Mining Co., LLC, No. 5:18-CV-00534,
2019 WL 956812, at *5 (S.D. W. Va. Feb. 27, 2019); cf. Mills v. Blackhawk Mining, LLC, No.
2:15-cv-13338, 2015 WL 6511316 (S.D. W. Va. Oct. 28, 2015). Specifically, Plaintiff alleges
that Defendant Sorrell had actual and/or constructive knowledge of Plaintiff’s disability, (ECF No.
1-1 at 6, ¶ 29), and Plaintiff informed Defendant Sorrell that he would return to work after he had

23
surgery on his foot in January, but that Defendant Sorrell terminated Plaintiff’s employment
anyway, (see ECF No. 1-1 at 5, ¶¶ 16-17). Thus, at the motion to dismiss stage, the Complaint’s
factual allegations support a plausible claim against Defendant Sorrell, as an individual, under
West Virginia Code § 5-11-9(7).
Accordingly, the Court DENIES Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the claims against

Defendant Sorrell.
G. Repleading
Lastly, while Plaintiff acknowledges that complaints filed in state court are subject to the
federal pleading standard after removal, (ECF No. 8 at 4), he also asks the Court to order him “to
replead his complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 81(c)(2)”14 if “the pleadings do
not meet the requirements under Iqbal and Twombly,” (id. at 5, 14-15.) It is clear Defendants
faced difficulty in discerning what claims were being asserted; whereas, if the Complaint were
repleaded with clarity and precision, Defendants would be able to frame a responsive pleading to
Plaintiff’s claims, and this matter could proceed more expeditiously. Thus, finding repleading

necessary in this instance, the Court orders Plaintiff to replead his Complaint.
IV. CONCLUSION
For these reasons, the Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, (ECF No. 3), is GRANTED IN
PART and DENIED IN PART. The Court DISMISSES any FMLA interference claim alleged
in Count III. As to all other claims, Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss is DENIED. Additionally,

14 Rule 81(c)(2) states that “[a]fter removal, repleading is unnecessary unless the court orders it.” Additionally,
although Plaintiff does not cite to it, Rule 15 provides that the Court should “freely give” leave to amend “when justice
so requires,” Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(1), (2), in the absence of any apparent or declared reason—such as futility of the
amendment, Everett v. Prison Health Servs., 412 F. App’x 604, 606 (4th Cir. 2011).

24
the Court ORDERS Plaintiff to replead his Complaint within 15 days of the entry of this Order
and ORDERS Plaintiff to serve Defendant Sorrell within 30 days of the filing of the amended
complaint.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
The Court DIRECTS the Clerk to send a copy of this Order to counsel of record and any
unrepresented party.
ENTER: May 31, 2022

L ff
THOMAS E. JOHNSTON, CHIEF JUDGE

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10730428. Public record. Not legal advice.