Putnam v. Keller

332 F.3d 541 (2003)

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Putnam v. Keller

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
332 F.3d 541 (2003)

  • Written by Sharon Feldman, JD

Facts

H. John Putnam (plaintiff) was a longtime faculty member of Central Community College’s Columbus campus (college). Putnam retired from full-time employment, became a part-time music instructor, and enrolled in an adult continuing-education course on campus. The college eliminated Putnam’s part-time position and informed Putnam that he would be banned from campus while he was under investigation for misappropriating school funds. The college also alleged that events of the choral group Putnam had founded and directed had inappropriate sexual overtones and made the group seem cult-like. There was evidence that the accusations were made known to others in the college. Putnam denied the allegations and requested the ban be lifted. Putnam sued Diane Keller and other college officials (the college officials) (defendants) under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, claiming violations of, among other rights, his procedural-due-process and First Amendment free-speech and free-association rights. The district court denied the college officials’ motion for summary judgment, holding that the officials did not have qualified immunity from suit with respect to Putnam's procedural-due-process, free-speech, and free-association claims. The college officials appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Beam, J.)

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