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Elizabeth Spokoiny v. University of Washington Medical Center

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 24-550 · judgment March 10, 2025


Certiorari denied · October 14, 2025
Pre-decision estimate: 0% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Questions presented

  1. Should sexual discrimination claims under Title VII and Title IX be analyzed under the traditional McDonnell Douglas "but-for” test as the Sixth, Eight and Ninth Circuits have held, or under the broader “reasonable calculation” test as the Second and Fourth Circuits have held, or under the even broader “increased likelihood” / “convincing mosaic” tests as the First, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits have held?

  2. Should disability discrimination claims under the FMLA require an actual denial of leave by the employer as the Second, Third, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits have held, or is mere discouragement of leave enough to sustain a claim as the Seventh Circuit has held; and should such claims be analyzed under the traditional McDonnell Douglas "but-for” test as the Fourth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits have held, or the broader “motivating factor” test as the Second and Third Circuits have held?

  3. Should the employer’s failure to prove that “just cause” exists for discipline of an employee subject to a collective bargaining agreement constitute pretext under McDonnell Douglas?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Elizabeth Spokoiny

For respondent
Tera Marie Heintz
Washington State Attorney General's Office

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Oct 14 2025
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Sep 24 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/10/2025.
  3. Sep 18 2025
    Waiver of right of respondent University of Washington Medical Center to respond filed.
  4. Aug 12 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 22, 2025)