Cluster 512633

No. 211, 848 F.2d 748, 752 (7th Cir.1988), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1015 , 109 S.Ct. 1128 , 103 L.Ed.2d 190 (1989); Callaway v. Hafeman, 832 F.2d 414, 417 (7th Cir.1987); but see Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1263-64 (7th Cir.1988) (if content of speech is of public concern, employee’s personal motivation to speak does not defeat finding that speech is protected).

Id. at 1262 (“The Town could not, however, terminate [the plaintiffs] employment because of her exercise or threatened exercise of a constitutionally protected right.”) (citing Perry v. Sindermann, 408 U.S. 593, 597 , 92 S.Ct. 2694 , 33 L.Ed.2d 570 (1972)).

Ed. 2d 744 (1990); Altman v. Hurst, 734 F.2d 1240 , 1244 n.10 (7th Cir. 1984) (per curiam) (“[A] private office dispute cannot be constitutionalized merely by filing a legal action.”); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir. 1988) (“[W]e decline to hold as a matter of law that the fact that [the employer] may have terminated [the employee] in retaliation for threatening to file a grievance constitutes a per se violation of the first amendment.”); Gearhart, 76…

The bottom line is that defendants have not shown that their interest in effective and efficient government outweighs the Friends’ right to petition the government. e. Right to bring state-court state lawsuit Defendants contend that the Friends’ state-court lawsuit isn’t protected by the First Amendment because the circuit court concluded that that the Friends didn’t have the right 6 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, “Our mission,” https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/ about/m…

Cf. Belk, 858 F.2d at 1264 (reversing grant of summary judgment in government employer’s favor when employee had alleged that she was fired in retaliation for threatening to file grievance, and remanding for determination as to whether threat was motivating factor in her termination).

See id.; see also id. at 489, 105 S.Ct. 2787 (Brennan, J., concurring) (“The Framers envisioned the rights of speech, press, assembly, and petitioning as interrelated components of the public’s exercise of its sovereign authority.”); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993) (relying on the reasoning of McDonald in extending the public concern requirement to retaliation claims involving the right to petition); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2…

See Jones v. Union County, 296 F.3d 417, 426 (6th Cir.2002); Martin v. City of Del City, 179 F.3d 882, 887-89 (10th Cir.1999); Grigley v. City of Atlanta, 136 F.3d 752, 755-56 (11th Cir.1998); Rendish v. City of Tacoma, 123 F.3d 1216, 1220-23 (9th Cir.1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, *449 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993); Hoffmann v. Mayor of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir.1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Day v. S. P…

See Jones v. Union County, 296 F.3d 417, 426 (6th Cir. 2002); Martin v. City of Del City, 179 F.3d 882, 887-89 (10th Cir.1999); Grigley v. City of Atlanta, 136 F.3d 752, 755-56 (11th Cir.1998); Rendish v. City of Tacoma, 123 F.3d 1216, 1220-23 (9th Cir.1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993); Hoffmann v. Mayor of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir.1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Day v. S. Park …

See Jones v. Union County, 296 F.3d 417, 426 (6th Cir.2002); Martin v. City of Del City, 179 F.3d 882, 887-89 (10th Cir.1999); Grigley v. City of Atlanta, 136 F.3d 752, 755-56 (11th Cir.1998); Rendish v. City of Tacoma, 123 F.3d 1216, 1220-23 (9th Cir.1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993); Hoffmann v. Mayor, City of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir.1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Day v. S. …

See Jones v. Union County, 296 F.3d 417, 426 (6th Cir.2002); Martin v. City of Del City, 179 F.3d 882, 887-89 (10th Cir.1999); Grigley v. City of Atlanta, 136 F.3d 752, 755-56 (11th Cir.1998); Rendish v. City of Tacoma, 123 F.3d 1216, 1220-23 (9th Cir.1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993); Hoffmann v. Mayor, City of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir.1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Day v. S. …

Bd. of Educ., 107 F.3d 1220, 1226 (6th Cir.1997) ("[T]he right to petition is limited to matters of public concern."); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir. 1988) (advising against stratification of First Amendment freedoms, per McDonald, and requiring the plaintiff to show that her petition touched on a matter of public concern); Day v. South Park Indep.

Bd. of Educ., 107 F.3d 1220, 1226 (6th Cir.1997) (“[T]he right to petition is limited to mat ters of public concern.”); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir.1988) (advising against stratification of First Amendment freedoms, per McDonald , and requiring the plaintiff to show that her petition touched on a matter of public concern); Day v. South Park Indep.

Bd. of Educ., 107 F.3d 1220, 1226 (6th Cir.1997) (“[T]he right to petition is limited to matters of public concern.”); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir.1988) (advising against stratification of First Amendment freedoms, per McDonald , and requiring the plaintiff to show that her petition touched on a matter of public concern); Day v. South Park Indep.

See Rendish, 123 F.3d at 1222 ; Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261 (7th Cir.1988). 4 In Day v. South Park Indep.

Button v. Kibby-Brown, 146 F.3d 526, 529 (7th Cir.1998); Marshall v. Porter County Plan Comm’n, 32 F.3d 1215, 1219 (7th Cir.1994); Belk v. Town. of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir.1988).

Button v. Kibby-Brown, 146 F.3d 526, 529 (7th Cir. 1998); Marshall v. Porter County Plan Comm’n, 32 F.3d 1215, 1219 (7th Cir. 1994); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir. 1988).

Dist., 768 F.2d 696, 703 (5th Cir.1985); Rathjen v. Litchfield, 878 F.2d 836, 842 (5th Cir.1989); Rice v. Ohio Dep’t of Transportation, 887 F.2d 716, 720-21 (6th Cir.1989), vacated on other grounds, 497 U.S. 1001 , 110 S.Ct. 3232 , 111 L.Ed.2d 744 (1990); Altman v. Hurst, 734 F.2d 1240 , 1244 n. 10 (7th Cir.1984); Belle v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Gearhart v. Thorne, 768 F.2d 1072, 1073 (9th Cir.1985); and Renfroe v. Kirkpatrick, 722 F.2d 714,…

See Rendish, 123 F.3d at 1222 ; Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261 (7th Cir.1988).

White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993) ("The First Amendment right to petition the government for a redress of grievances ... is `generally subject to the same constitutional analysis' as the right to free speech." (quoting Wayte v. United States, 470 U.S. 598 , 610 n. 11, 105 S.Ct. 1524 , 84 L.Ed.2d 547 (1985))); Day, 768 F.2d at 703 ("An employee's complaint to her superior on a personal matter is no more a matter of public concern when e…

See Marshall v. Porter County Plan Comm’n, 32 F.3d 1215, 1219 (7th Cir.1994); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir.1988).

Bd. of Educ., 107 F.3d 1220, 1226 (6th Cir.1997), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 118 S.Ct. 164 , 139 L.Ed.2d 108 (1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993); Hoffmann v. Mayor, Councilmen and Citizens of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir.1990); Schalk v. Gallemore, 906 F.2d 491, 498 (10th Cir.1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Day v. South Park Indep.

Bd. of Educ., 107 F.3d 1220, 1226 (6th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 118 S. Ct. 5 164 (1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir. 1993); Hoffman v. Mayor, Councilmen and Citizens of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir. 1990); Schalk v. Gallemore, 906 F.2d 491, 498 (10th Cir. 1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir. 1988); Day v. South Park Indep.

Bd. of Educ., 107 F.3d 1220, 1226 (6th Cir.1997), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 118 S.Ct. 164 , 139 L.Ed.2d 108 (1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.1993); Hoffmann v. Mayor, Councilmen and Citizens of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir.1990); Schalk v. Gallemore, 906 F.2d 491, 498 (10th Cir.1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Day v. South Park Indep.

White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 865 , 114 S.Ct. 185 , 126 L.Ed.2d 144 (1993); Schalk v. Gallemore, 906 F.2d 491, 498 (10th Cir.1990); Hoffmann v. Mayor, Councilmen & Citizens of Liberty, 905 F.2d 229, 233 (8th Cir.1990); Rathjen v. Litchfield, 878 F.2d 836, 842 (5th Cir.1989); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Gearhart v. Thorne, 768 F.2d 1072, 1073 (9th Cir.1985) (per curiam); Renfr…

Hoffmann v. Mayor, Councilmen & Citizens of Liberty, supra at 233; accord Valot v. Southeast Local School District Bd. of Educ., 107 F.3d 1220 (6th Cir. 1997); White Plains Towing Corp. v. Patterson, 991 F.2d 1049, 1059 (2nd Cir.1993), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 865 , 114 S.Ct. 185 , 126 L.Ed.2d 144 (1993); Schalk v. Gallemore, 906 F.2d 491, 498 (10th Cir.1990); Rathjen v. Litchfield, 878 F.2d 836 , 842 (5th Cir.1989; Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1281-62 (7th Cir.198…

Connick, 461 U.S. at 146 , 103 S.Ct. at 1689-90 ; Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir.1988); Callaway v. Hafeman, 832 F.2d 414, 416 (7th Cir.1987).

Id.; Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir.1988) (“content is the greatest single factor in the Connick inquiry”); Yoggerst v. Hedges, 739 F.2d 293, 296 (7th Cir.1984).

In Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988), the Seventh Circuit relied on McDonald as further support for its holding that a public employee may be terminated in retaliation for filing a grievance unless the grievance addressed a matter of public concern.

In Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988), the Seventh Circuit relied on McDonald as further support for its holding that a public employee may be terminated in retaliation for filing a grievance unless the grievance addressed a matter of public concern.

Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir.1988).

Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir.1988), quoting Berg v. Hunter, 854 F.2d 238, 243 (7th Cir.1988), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1053 , 109 S.Ct. 1314 , 103 L.Ed.2d 583 (1989).

We must first determine whether Glass’ recorded comments to Wanish “cannot be fairly characterized as constituting speech on a matter of public concern.” Connick v. Myers, 461 U.S. 138, 146, 103 S.Ct. 1684, 1690 (1983); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir.1988).

A determination that the ________ content of the expression addresses a "matter of public concern," _______ while often described as "the greatest single factor in the Connick inquiry," Breuer v. Hart, 909 F.2d 1035, 1039 (7th Cir _______ ______ ____ 1990) (quoting Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th ____ ________________ Cir. 1988)), does not end the inquiry; in certain circumstances the employee may still be disciplined if the "form and context" of the speec…

A determination that the content of the expression addresses a "matter of public concern,” while often described as "the greatest single factor in the Connick inquiry,” Breuer v. Hart, 909 F.2d 1035, 1039 (7th Cir.1990) (quoting Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir.1988)), does not end the inquiry; in certain circumstances the employee may still be disciplined if the "form and context” of the speech indicate that the employee was driven by purely personal c…

A determination that the content of the expression addresses a "matter of public concern," while often described as "the greatest single factor in the Connick inquiry," Breuer v. Hart, 909 F.2d 1035, 1039 (7th Cir 1990) (quoting Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir. 1988)), does not end the inquiry; in certain circumstances the employee may still be disciplined if the "form and context" of the speech indicate that the employee was driven by purely personal …

It does not depend entirely on the fact the plaintiffs filed a suit for damages and would benefit but also on the other factors discussed in Connick."); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir.1988) (employee’s motive in speaking, although relevant to whether speech relates to a matter of public concern, is not dispositive). 6 .

Breuer v. Hart, 909 F.2d 1035, 1038-39 (7th Cir 1990); Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (7th Cir 1988).

Dist., 798 F.2d 748, 757-758 (5th Cir.1986); Belk v. Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1263-1264 (7th Cir.1988); Boger v. Wayne County, 950 F.2d 316, 322-323 (6th Cir.1991), with Zaky v. United States Veterans Admn., 793 F.2d 832, 838-839 (7th Cir.1986); Koch v. Hutchinson, 847 F.2d 1436, 1443-1449 (10th Cir.1988); Vukadinovich v. Bartels, 853 F.2d 1387, 1391 (7th Cir.1988).

Plaintiff notes that, “[a] violation of the petition clause is analyzed in the same way as the violation of the free speech clause.” Plaintiff's Brief in Support at 22 (citing Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262 (7th Cir.1988)).

We concluded that, “[w]ere we to adopt [the] position that the right to petition is absolute, we would be guilty of implementing precisely the sort of hierarchy of first amendment rights forbidden by McDonald . ” Id. at 1261.

Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1264 (1988) (collecting eases).

In Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1262-63 (7th Cir.1988), the court held that the plaintiff’s threatened grievance must be worthy of First Amendment protection — satisfy the Connick-Pickering test — before any retaliatory action may be said to violate the right to petition clause.

This analysis also meshes perfectly with the sense in which Belk, 858 F.2d at 1262 (citation and footnote omitted) has just said: [The employer] could not, however, terminate [the employee’s] employment because of her exercise or threatened exercise of a constitutionally protected right....

See Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258 , 1262 & n.6 (7th Cir. 1988); Vukadinovich v. Bartels, 853 F.2d 1387, 1389-90 (7th Cir. 1988). 14 The first step of this analysis--determining whether the plaintiff's speech was constitutionally protected--is a question of law for the court, see Connick v. Myers, 461 U.S. 138 , 148 n.7 (1983); see also Berg v. Hunter, 854 F.2d 238, 243 (7th Cir. 1988), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1053 (1989); Hesse v. Board of Educ. of Township High Sch.

See Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258 , 1262 & n. 6 (7th Cir.1988); Vukadinovich v. Bartels, 853 F.2d 1387, 1389-90 (7th Cir.1988).

As the Seventh Circuit stated in Smith , “the content of some remarks may lift the speech to the level of public concern even if the employee’s reasons for speaking out are entirely self-interested.” Smith, 28 F.3d at 652 (citations omitted); see Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1263-64 (7th Cir.1988) (“content is the greatest single factor in the Connick inquiry”) (quoting Berg v. Hunter, 854 F.2d 238, 242-43 (7th Cir.1988), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1053 , 109 S.Ct. 1…

See Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988) (declining to hold as a matter of law that the fact that the Town Board may have terminated Belk in retaliation for threatening to file a grievance constitutes a per se violation of the First Amendment without regard to content); Yatvin v. Madison Metropolitan School Dist., 840 F.2d 412, 419-20 (7th Cir.1988) (concluding that Yatvin’s lawsuit does not come within the protection of the First Amendment because…

See Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Gearhart v. Thorne, 768 F.2d 1072, 1073 (9th Cir.1985) (per curiam); Day v. South Park Indep.

See Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258, 1261-62 (7th Cir.1988); Gearhart v. Thorne, 768 F.2d 1072, 1073 (9th Cir.1985) (per curiam); Day v. South Park Indep.

Accordingly, courts "analyze an alleged violation of the petition clause in the same manner as any other alleged violation of the right to engage in free speech." Phares v. Gustafsson, 856 F.2d 1003, 1009 (7th Cir.1988); see Belk v. Town of Minocqua, 858 F.2d 1258 , 1262 & n. 5 (7th Cir.1988); Day v. South Park Indep.