Joyce v. General Motors Corp.

551 N.E.2d 172 (1990)

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Joyce v. General Motors Corp.

Ohio Supreme Court
551 N.E.2d 172 (1990)

SC

Facts

Michael Joyce (plaintiff) worked for General Motors Corporation (defendant). GM had an employee-suggestion program, and Joyce submitted an idea to reduce the amount of scrap metal produced by his division. Prior to formally submitting the idea, Joyce had discussed his idea with his supervisor, Chuck Guisinger. After receiving the suggestion, GM informed Joyce that the same idea had been submitted by Donald Halsey, another GM supervisor. GM awarded Halsey over $12,000 for coming up with the idea. Joyce brought suit, claiming that Halsey stole his idea. Joyce named Halsey and the head of his department, Donald Tackett, as defendants. Joyce claimed that Halsey got the idea from Tackett, who got the idea from Guisinger after Joyce talked to Guisinger. Joyce later voluntarily dismissed GM as a defendant. The trial court granted the defendants a directed verdict. The court of appeals reversed. The defendants appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Moyer, C.J.)

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