Matthew D. Vacca, Respondent/Cross- Missouri Cases

Matthew Vacca sued the Missouri Department of Labor and Brian May for retaliation after he was terminated from his administrative law judge position, seeking actual and punitive damages including future lost wages. The circuit court denied the defendants' request to apply judicial estoppel, which would have precluded Vacca's claim for future lost wages due to inconsistent statements about his ability to work in prior disability applications and dissolution proceedings. The Supreme Court of Missouri reversed the judgment for damages, holding that the circuit court abused its discretion by refusing to apply judicial estoppel, and remanded the case for further proceedings on other potential damages.