Meriwether Case of Administration Persecution

Access Data

• NICHOLAS K. MERIWETHER v. FRANCESCA HARTOP et al., with JANE DOE; SEXUALITY AND GENDER ACCEPTANCE as Intervenors-Appellees.
  
• Alliance for Defending Freedom's Travis C. Barham and others for Meriwether. D.C. Jenner and Block partner Adam G. Unikowsky for Intervenors. Notre Dame Prof. Gerard V. Bradley for an amicus. Lots of amici.
• No. 1:18-cv-00753—Susan J. Dlott, District Judge.
• Argued: November 19, 2020.

Decided and Filed: March 26, 2021.

• Before: McKEAGUE, THAPAR, and LARSEN. Opinion by Thapar.

Summary

Twenty-year Shawnee State philosophy Professor Nicholas Meriwether responded to a male student’s question by saying, “Yes, sir.” After the class, the student approached Professor Meriwether, stated that he was transgender, and demanded that the professor refer to him as a woman, with feminine titles and pronouns, in accordance with a university policy. Meriwether refused, even after the student threatened to sue and the University turned to its Title IX office and put a disciplinary letter in Meriwether's file and threatened him with possible future dismissal. Meriwether proposed various compromises, which were all rejected eventually.

Documents

• The Complaint, S. Dist. Ohio (February 5, 2019).

• Motion to Intervene, S. Dist. Ohio (May 9, 2019, M.J. Litkovitz) This is interesting as a long opinion granting a contested motion to intervene. It does not address whether the intervenor has the right to remain anonymous as "Doe".

• 6th Circuit appellate opinion (March 26, 2021, Thapar, J.)

• District Court Order Adopting Report and Recommendation, S. Dist. Ohio (February 12, 2020, Dlott, J.).