Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Dec 11, 2018
Danny Holmes and Paul White vs. Kansas City Public School District
Danny Holmes and Paul White, patrol officers for the Kansas City Public School District (KCPS), sued KCPS alleging retaliation under the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA). A jury found in favor of Holmes and White on their retaliation claims, awarding them compensatory damages, and the trial court awarded attorneys' fees. KCPS appealed, arguing the trial court erred in denying its motions for directed verdict and judgment notwithstanding the verdict, denying its motion for new trial due to instructional error, and awarding attorneys' fees. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding no error in the denial of KCPS's motions and no abuse of discretion in the attorneys' fee award.