Griffin v. Dugger
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
823 F.2d 1476 (1987)

- Written by Darius Dehghan, JD
Facts
Peners Griffin (plaintiff), a Black man, was a correctional officer at the Florida Department of Corrections (department) (defendant). Griffin filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging that the department’s promotion and discipline practices discriminated against Blacks. Subsequently, Griffin filed a class-action suit in federal court, contending that the department violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). The suit claimed that the examination the department used to assess applicants discriminated against Blacks. Thus, the class included Black applicants who had failed the examination. Griffin added Henry Dejerinett (plaintiff) as a named plaintiff. Dejerinett, a Black man, applied for a position at the department but did not take the examination. Later, Alvin Smith (plaintiff) intervened as a named plaintiff. Smith, a Black man, was denied employment at the department after failing the examination. Smith did not file a complaint with the EEOC. The district court issued an order certifying the class and permitted Griffin, Dejerinett, and Smith to serve as named plaintiffs. The department appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Tjoflat, J.)
Dissent (Hatchett, J.)
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