Caryn Strickland v. Nancy Moritz
Court
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Decided
August 15, 2025
Jurisdiction
F
Importance
47%
Practice Areas
Case Summary
USCA4 Appeal: 24-2056 Doc: 124 Filed: 08/15/2025 Pg: 1 of 51 PUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 24-2056 CARYN DEVINS STRICKLAND, Plaintiff – Appellant, v. NANCY L. MORITZ, The Hon., in her official capacity as Chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on Judicial Resources; ROBERT J. CONRAD, JR., in his official capacity as Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts; ALBERT DIAZ, The Hon., in his official capacity as Chief Judge of the Fourth Circuit and as Chair of the Judicial Council of the Fourth Circuit; JAMES N. ISHIDA, in his official capacity as Circuit Executive of the Fourth Circuit and as Secretary of the Judicial Council of the Fourth Circuit; JOHN G. BAKER, in his official capacity as Federal Public Defender of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of North Carolina, Defendants – Appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, at Asheville. William G. Young, Senior District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Massachusetts, sitting by designation. (1:20-cv-00066-WGY) Argued: June 30, 2025 Decided: August 15, 2025 Before W. Duane BENTON, Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Ronald Lee GILMAN, Senior Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and Susan P. GRABER, Senior Circuit Judge of the United USCA4 Appeal: 24-2056 Doc: 124 Filed: 08/15/2025 Pg: 2 of 51 States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, sitting by designation.1 Affirmed by published opinion. Senior Judge Gilman wrote the opinion, in which Senior Judge Graber and Judge Benton joined. ARGUED: Caryn Devins Strickland, LAW OFFICE OF CARYN STRICKLAND, Lynn, North Carolina, for Appellant. Kevin B. Soter, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, for Appellees. ON BRIEF: Yaakov M. Roth, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Courtney L. Dixon, Civil Division, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C., for Appellees. 1 Because all members of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit are recused in this case, a panel of judges from outside the Circuit was appointed for this appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 291, 294. 2 USCA4 Appeal: 24-2056 Doc: 124 Filed: 08/15/2025 Pg: 3 of 51 RONALD LEE GILMAN, Senior Circuit Judge: Caryn Devins Strickland is an attorney who formerly worked at the Federal Public Defender’s Office (FDO) for the Western District of North Carolina. She alleges that her supervisor sexually harassed her, following which the response of both the Fourth Circuit and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts purportedly violated her due- process and equal-protection rights guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The district court ruled in favor of the government on all of Strickland’s claims after a bench trial. Strickland now appeals that ruling, as well as the district court’s previous summary- judgment ruling in favor of two of the individually named defendants. For the reasons set forth below, we AFFIRM both district court decisions. We also DENY Strickland’s motion to unseal certain materials that she filed on the appellate docket, as well as her motion for summary reversal of the district court’s decision based on the early withdrawal of her pro bono counsel. I. BACKGROUND The district court’s bench-trial decision included approximately 75 pages of factual findings, which are largely undisputed. See Strickland v. United States, 744 F. Supp. 3d 477 (W.D.N.C. 2024). Rather than fully restate those detailed findings and the extensive procedural history of this case here, we refer to pages 488 to 567 of the district court’s decision. We will, however, briefly summarize the court’s findings, as well as several points of procedural history that are relevant to the issues on appeal. 3 USCA4 Appeal: 24-2056 Doc: 124 Filed: 08/15/2025 Pg: 4 of 51 A. The bench
Case Details
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Status
Decided
Date Decided
August 15, 2025
Jurisdiction
F
Court Type
appellate
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Case Summary
AI-generated comprehensive summary with legal analysis
Case Overview
In Caryn Strickland v. Nancy Moritz, the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit addressed significant claims involving due process and equal protection rights under the Fifth Amendment. The case centers on Strickland's allegations of sexual harassment and the subsequent handling of her complaints by her supervisor, Nancy Moritz, within the EDR process. The court's ruling, dated August 15, 2025, affirmed the lower court's decisions, impacting future employment law cases.
Legal Issues
The court examined several critical legal questions:
- Did Strickland's due process and equal protection rights get violated?
- Was she coerced into abandoning her EDR complaint?
- Did the exclusion of 'Me Too' evidence affect her case?
- Were the working conditions intolerable enough to constitute constructive discharge?
- Did the district court err in allowing her pro bono counsel to withdraw?
Factual Background
Key facts and procedural history include:
- Strickland made a good-faith claim of sexual harassment against her supervisor, initiating the EDR process.
- She voluntarily withdrew from the EDR process before a formal complaint could be filed, impacting her due process claims.
- The district court acknowledged missteps by judiciary employees but ruled they did not violate Strickland's rights.
- Strickland's claims of coercion and constructive discharge were central to her appeal.
Court's Analysis
The court's reasoning included:
- Due Process Violations: The court found that Strickland's belief regarding the presiding judicial officer's authority was unreasonable, as it contradicted the explicit provisions of the EDR Plan. Her claims of coercion were dismissed due to a lack of evidence demonstrating that she was misled about the process.
- Equal Protection Claims: The court ruled that Strickland did not provide sufficient evidence to support her claims of discrimination and retaliation. The exclusion of 'Me Too' evidence was deemed harmless, as it did not significantly impact the trial's outcome.
- Constructive Discharge: Strickland failed to demonstrate that her working conditions were intolerable, which is necessary to establish a constructive discharge claim. The court upheld that the actions taken by Moritz were reasonable and did not amount to deliberate indifference.
- Counsel Withdrawal: The court noted that while the district court abused its discretion in allowing Strickland's pro bono counsel to withdraw without proper analysis, this did not prejudice her case.
Holdings and Decision
The court made the following rulings:
- Affirmed the district court's decision in favor of the government on both due process and equal protection claims.
- Denied Strickland's motion to unseal materials and for summary reversal, concluding that no reversible error occurred.
Legal Precedents
The court cited several important precedents:
- Strickland v. United States, 32 F.4th 311 (4th Cir. 2022) - Allowed Strickland's as-applied challenge to proceed.
- Ashley v. NLRB, 255 F. App’x 707 (4th Cir. 2007) - Emphasized the necessity for plaintiffs to utilize available processes for due process claims.
- Bodkin v. Town of Strasburg, 386 F. App’x 411 (4th Cir. 2010) - Established standards for involuntary resignation.
Practical Implications
The outcome of this case has significant implications for:
- Employment Law: Reinforces the importance of procedural fairness in administrative processes.
- Civil Rights: Highlights the necessity for clear evidence in claims of discrimination and retaliation.
- Administrative Law: Clarifies the standards for evaluating due process and equal protection claims within employment contexts.
This case serves as a critical reference for future claims involving due process, equal protection, and employment discrimination, emphasizing the need for adherence to procedural standards and the importance of utilizing available remedies.
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Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
August 15, 2025
Jurisdiction
F
Court Type
appellate
Legal Significance
Case importance metrics
Metadata
Additional information
Quick Actions
Case management tools