ÿWPC 5UNö %D 0 (JJrw@¼4ü 0zŠ 0D™Ý 0Jå 0D/ 0[s 0TÎ 0^" 0h€ AQè 0r9 0|« 0†' 0­ 1u= 0d² B Æ3 0Dù 0@= 0D} D/Á Bð D3 U>@ B)~ DC§ AMê U*7 +a êŒXv÷Îv~ÅvÓC(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡c:\office\wpwin\template\opinion.wpt PDQDRSDTUDVW eXÓ€bê‚_#((*2ên$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó€€3|xb(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô($Ó$‘‘òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(3§à$¥¥Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú.2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô!"#$&Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ dƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd 'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d++++7Border 1dd!#,Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial !Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€*ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌNovember€25,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó àÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€*ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$ÝÓ  Óà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  Úóó€€Ý  ÝòòTenn.€Code€Ann.óó€ðð€4„21„101€to€„1004€(1991€&€Supp.€1997).Ì NÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€*ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$ÝÓ  Óà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  Úóó€€Ý  ÝAlthough€neither€the€affidavit€nor€Ms.€Ferrellððs€deposition€appear€in€the€record€as€filed,ÏBlue€Bird€filed€a€motion€to€supplement€the€record.€€The€motion€is€hereby€granted.Ì íÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€*ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$ÝÓ  Óà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  Úóó€€Ý  ÝA€sex€discrimination€plaintiff€must€demonstrate€the€following:€€1)€he€is€a€member€of€aÏprotected€class;€2)€he€was€subjected€to€adverse€employment€action;€3)€he€was€qualified€for€theÏposition;€and€4)€he€was€replaced€by€a€person€of€the€opposite€sex.€€òòò òSeeó óóó€òòò òMcDonnell€DouglasÏCorp.€v.€Greenó óóó,€411€U.S.€792,€802,€93€S.€Ct.€1817,€1824,€36€L.€Ed.€2d€668,€677€(1973)Ï(setting€forth€the€factors€in€racial€discrimination€cases);€òòò òBrenneró óóó,€874€S.W.2d€at€584€(applyingÏthe€òòò òMcDonnellóóó ó€factors€in€a€case€alleging€a€violation€of€the€Tennessee€Human€Rights€Act).ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€*ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€*¼ÔÑ7€…XXdðXXdð7ÑÑ  ÑœÞ ÞÌSUSAN›€FERRELL,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAPPEAL€NO.Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà à)à à01A01„9707„CH„00339Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)̜ـ!ÙßR€-/,A1-j|ÕÁ` ç `€€@ÿRß›à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àRutherford€ChanceryÌBLUE€BIRD€OF€TENNESSEE,€INC.à à)à àNo.€96MI„41Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellee.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓCOURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌAPPEAL€FROM€THE€RUTHERFORD€COUNTY€CHANCERY€COURT€ÌÌAT€MURFREESBORO,€TENNESSEEÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€ROBERT€E.€CORLEW,€III,€CHANCELLORÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓROBERT€T.€CARTER,€ESQ.ÌHenry,€McCord,€Bean€&€Miller,€P.L.L.C.Ì300€North€Hackson€StreetÌP.O.€Box€538ÌTullahoma,€Tennessee€37388ÌATTORNEY€FOR€THE€PLAINTIFF/APPELLANTÌÌDAVID€W.€KIOUSÌ1535€West€Northfield€BoulevardÌ8€Lincoln€SquareÌMurfreesboro,€Tennessee€37129ÌATTORNEY€FOR€THE€DEFENDANT/APPELLEEÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓWALTER€W.€BUSSART,€JUDGEÌòòòòÓ  ÓÔ€*„ÔOpinionóóóóÌÓ€ÓÔ€*¼ÔÌÓ  Óà àThis€is€an€appeal€by€plaintiff/appellant,€Susan€Ferrell,€from€the€order€ofÏthe€Rutherford€County€Chancery€Court€dismissing€her€employmentÏdiscrimination€action€against€defendant/appellee,€Blue€Bird€of€Tennessee,€Inc.Ï(ð ðBlue€Birdðð),€on€summary€judgment.€€The€pertinent€facts€are€as€follows.ÌÌà àBlue€Bird€is€a€corporation€which€sells€and€services€buses.€€The€president€ofÏBlue€Bird€is€George€Law.€€Blue€Bird€employed€Ms.€Ferrell€for€approximatelyÏfive€years€before€her€termination€on€August€17,€1995.€€Blue€Bird€originally€hiredÏMs.€Ferrell€to€pick,€receive,€and€pack€parts.€€As€her€employment€continued,€sheÏbegan€to€take€on€additional€responsibilities.€€At€the€time€of€her€termination,€Ms.ÏFerrell€worked€with€parts,€service,€warranty,€communication,€inventory,€andÏspecial€projects.ÌÌà àMs.€Ferrell€and€two€other€female€employees€returned€from€lunch€late€onÏAugust€17,€1995.€€Mr.€Law€asked€and/or€told€the€women€to€come€into€his€officeÏupon€their€return.€€He€admonished€all€three€for€their€tardiness.€€The€conversationÏbetween€Ms.€Ferrell€and€Mr.€Law€continued€and€escalated.€€Mr.€Law€testified€inÏhis€deposition€that€Ms.€Ferrell€became€defensive,€irritated,€and€irrational€andÏbegan€to€cry€hysterically.€€Thereafter,€Mr.€Law€terminated€Ms.€FerrellððsÍemployment.€€Mr.€Law€testified€that€Ms.€Ferrell€had€been€a€good€employee,€butÏshe€was€temperamental.ÌÌà àMs.€Ferrell€applied€for€unemployment€compensation.€€At€the€request€of€theÏDepartment€of€Employment€Security,€Mr.€Law€informed€the€department€he€hadÏterminated€Ms.€Ferrell€due€to€her€unsatisfactory€communication€skills€with€co„workers,€management,€and€others.€€Blue€Bird€hired€John€Mitchell€in€SeptemberÏof€1995.€€Mr.€Mitchell€worked€under€James€Bowers,€Ms.€Ferrellððs€formerÏsupervisor,€and€handled€parts,€inventory€and€special€projects.ÌÌà àMs.€Ferrell€filed€her€complaint€against€Blue€Bird€on€16€January€1996.€€SheÏalleged€Blue€Bird€violated€the€Tennessee€Human€Rights€Act× ƒ0 ××  ×€by€terminating€herÏand€replacing€her€with€a€man€at€a€higher€salary.€€Blue€Bird€filed€an€answerÏfollowed€by€a€motion€for€summary€judgment.€€In€support€of€the€motion,€BlueÏBird€filed€the€affidavit€of€E.€Ray€Earnest€and€the€depositions€of€the€parties.× ƒ1 ××  ×€€Ms.ÏFerrell€responded€to€the€motion€and€attached€George€Lawððs€deposition;€a€letterÏfrom€a€Blue€Bird€customer;€an€affidavit€from€a€Blue€Bird€employee,€RosanneÏRiddle;€and€the€separation€notice€from€the€State.€€The€trial€court€found€asÏfollows:ÌÓÓà8 àà à1.à àPlaintiff€has€asserted€certain€controverted€facts€in€herÏburden€to€establish€a€prima€facie€case€pursuant€to€òòMcDonnellÏDouglas€Corporation€v.€Greenóó€test€that€would€make€suchÏdetermination€thereof€better€left€as€an€issue€for€the€jury.Ìà8 àà à2.à àDefendant€has€stated€a€legitimate€nondiscriminatingÏreason€for€firing€the€Plaintiff.€€Therefore,€the€burden€shifts€back€toÏthe€Plaintiff€to€show€that€the€legitimate€reason€for€firing€was€not€theÍtrue€reason€but€merely€a€pretext€for€discrimination.Ìà8 àà à3.à àPlaintiff€fails€to€offer€any€material€facts€to€rebut€theÏfinding€that€the€firing€was€legitimate,€and€therefore€DefendantððsÏMotion€should€be€granted.ÌÓ€ÓÌÓ€ÓThereafter,€Ms.€Ferrell€filed€a€timely€notice€of€appeal.€€She€contends€theÏchancellor€erred€in€granting€Blue€Birdððs€motion€for€summary€judgment.ÌÌò òI.à àStandard€of€Reviewó óÌÌà àThis€court€reviews€a€trial€courtððs€order€granting€a€motion€for€summaryÏjudgment€as€if€we€were€making€the€initial€ruling.€€òòò ò€See€Gonzales€v.€AlmanÏConstr.€Co.ó óóó,€857€S.W.2d€42,€44„45€(Tenn.€App.€1993).€€Before€a€party€canÏprevail€on€a€motion€for€summary€judgment,€they€must€demonstrate€there€are€noÏgenuine€issues€as€to€any€material€fact€and€the€law€entitles€the€party€to€a€favorableÏjudgment.€€òòò òSee€Byrd€v.€Halló óóó,€847€S.W.2d€208,€214€(Tenn.€1993).€€The€courtÏmust€resolve€three€questions€when€determining€whether€there€are€no€genuineÏissues€as€to€any€material€fact.€€These€are:€ð ð(1)€whether€a€òòfactualóó€dispute€exists;€(2)Ïwhether€the€disputed€fact€is€òòmaterialóó€to€the€outcome€of€the€case;€and€(3)€whetherÏthe€disputed€fact€creates€a€òògenuineóó€issue€for€trial.ðð€€òòò òId.ó óóóÌÌà àInitially,€the€movant€has€the€burden€of€demonstrating€the€requirements€ofÏsummary€judgment.€€òòò òSee€id.ó óóó€at€215.€€ð ðA€conclusory€assertion€that€the€nonmovingÏparty€has€no€evidence€is€clearly€insufficient.ðð€€òòò òId.ó óóó€€Once€the€movant€makes€aÏproperly€supported€motion,€the€burden€shifts€to€the€nonmovant€to€provideÏcontradictory€evidence€using€affidavits€or€any€of€the€other€discovery€materialsÏlisted€in€Rule€56.03.€€òòò òSee€id.ó óóó€ÌÌò òII.à àAnalysisó óÌÌà àApplication€of€these€principles€to€the€present€case€creates€an€interestingÏsituation.€€To€explain,€the€parties€in€a€case€alleging€discriminatory€discharge€willÏseldom€agree€on€one€fact,€that€is,€the€reason€for€the€termination.€€This€willÏgenerally€be€a€disputed€fact.€€Thus,€this€courtððs€decisions€on€whether€the€disputedÏfact€is€ð ðmaterialðð€and€whether€there€is€ð ða€genuine€issueðð€are€critical.€€TheÏTennessee€Supreme€Court€defined€a€material€fact€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 àA€disputed€fact€is€material€if€it€must€be€decided€in€order€to€resolveÏthe€substantive€claim€or€defense€at€which€the€motion€is€directed.€ÏTherefore€when€confronted€with€a€disputed€fact,€the€court€mustÏexamine€the€elements€of€the€claim€or€defense€at€issue€in€the€motion€toÏdetermine€whether€the€resolution€of€that€fact€will€effect€theÏdisposition€of€any€of€those€claims€or€defenses.ÌÓ€ÓÌÓ€Óòòò òId.óóó ó€€ð ð[T]he€test€for€a€ððgenuine€issueðð€€is€whether€a€reasonable€jury€couldÏlegitimately€resolve€that€fact€in€favor€of€one€side€or€the€other.€.€.€.€In€making€thisÏdetermination,€the€court€is€to€view€the€evidence€in€a€light€favorable€to€theÏnonmoving€party€and€allow€all€reasonable€inferences€in€his€favor.ðð€€òòò òId.ó óóó€€AnÏunderstanding€of€the€legal€standards€involved€in€discrimination€suits€is€necessaryÏbefore€determining€whether€the€factual€dispute€is€material€or€creates€a€genuineÏissue.ÌÌà àThis€court€has€set€forth€the€duties€of€each€party€in€a€discriminatoryÏdischarge€case€as€follows:ÌÓÓ€à8 àà àAn€age€discrimination€plaintiff€has€the€burden€of€establishing€aÏòòprima€facieóó€case€by€using€the€traditional€criteria€set€forth€inÏòòMcDonnell€Douglas€Corp.€v.€Greenóó,€411€U.S.€792,€93€S.€Ct.€1817,Ï36€L.€Ed.€2d€668€(1973)× ƒ2 ××  ×€or€through€direct,€circumstantial,€orÍstatistical€evidence.€€€òòSee€Bruceóó,€669€S.W.2d€at€97;€€òòsee€also€SimpsonÏv.€Midland„Ross€Corpóó.,€823€F.2d€937,€940€(6th€Cir.€1987).€€€OnceÏthe€plaintiff€has€established€a€òòprima€facieóó€case€through€either€of€theseÏmethods,€the€burden€of€proof€shifts€to€the€employer€to€rebut€theÏpresumption€of€discrimination€by€articulating€a€legitimateÏnondiscriminatory€reason€for€the€employment€decision.€€òòSilpacharinÏv.€Metropolitan€Gov'tóó,€797€S.W.2d€625,€629€(Tenn.€App.€1990);€ÏòòBruceóó,€669€S.W.2d€at€97.€€€Once€the€employer€has€satisfied€theÏburden€of€articulating€a€legitimate€nondiscriminatory€reason€for€itsÏemployment€decision,€the€burden€of€proof€again€shifts€to€the€plaintiffÏto€prove€that€the€employer's€reason€is€a€mere€pretext€or€that€theÏemployer's€proffered€explanation€is€not€worthy€of€belief.€€òòIdóó.ÌÓ€ÓÌÓ€Óòòò òBrenner€v.€Textron€Aerostructures,€a€Div.€of€Textron,€Inc.ó óóó,€874ÏS.W.2d€579,€583€(Tenn.€App.€1993).€€ð ðIt€is€important€to€note,€however,€thatÏalthough€the€òòMcDonnell€Douglasóó€presumption€shifts€the€burden€of€òòproductionóó€toÏthe€defendant,€ðð[t]he€ultimate€burden€of€persuading€the€trier€of€fact€that€theÏdefendant€intentionally€discriminated€against€the€plaintiff€remains€at€all€timesÏwith€the€plaintiff.ðððð€òòò òSt.€Maryððs€Honor€Ctr.€v.€Hicksó óóó,€509€U.S.€502,€507,€113ÏS.€Ct.€2742,€2747,€125€L.€Ed.€2d€407,€416€(1993)€(quoting€òòò òTexas€Depððt€ofÏComm.€Affairs€v.€Burdineó óóó,€450€U.S.€248,€253,€101€S.€Ct.€1089,€1093,€67€L.ÏEd.€2d€207,€215€(1981)).ÌÌà àApplication€of€the€law€to€the€facts€reveals€that€while€the€factual€dispute€isÏmaterial,€there€is€no€genuine€issue€for€the€fact€finder.€€The€determination€of€whyÏBlue€Bird€terminated€Ms.€Ferrell€is€certain€to€affect€the€disposition€of€the€claim,Ïthus,€making€the€factual€dispute€material.€€However,€it€is€the€opinion€of€this€courtÏthat€there€is€no€genuine€issue.€€Our€decision€is€based€on€the€legal€standardsÏheretofore€explained€and€the€evidence€presented€by€both€the€parties.€€Under€theÏlaw,€the€fact€finder€must€determine€€whether€the€plaintiff€has€produced€sufficientÍevidence€that€the€legitimate,€nondiscriminatory€reason€asserted€by€the€defendantÏwas€pretextual.€€It€is€Blue€Birdððs€contention€that€it€terminated€Ms.€Ferrell€becauseÏof€her€poor€communications€skills.€€The€deposition€of€George€Law€and€theÏseparation€notice€of€the€Tennessee€Department€of€Employment€Security€supportÏthis€explanation.€€Ms.€Ferrell€claims€Blue€Bird€terminated€her€because€she€wasÏfemale€and€relies€on€the€affidavit€of€Roseanne€Riddle,€her€sister€and€former€co„worker,€to€support€her€claim.€€Ms.€Riddle€states€the€following€in€the€affidavit:ÌÓÓà8 àà à5.à àWithout€question,€Susan€Ferrell€was€terminated€becauseÏshe€was€female.€.€.€.€€I€asked€George€Law€what€he€meant€by€thisÏstatement€and€he€said€ð ðWell,€when€you€have€a€child,€youððre€not€goingÏto€work.ððÌà8 àà à6.à àGeorge€Law€further€told€me€on€many€occasions€thatÏwomen€need€to€stay€at€home€with€their€children€and€that€is€what€isÏwrong€with€the€world€today,€is€that€too€many€do€not.Ìà8 àà à7.à à€.€.€.€I€was€required€to€pay€for€my€husbandððs€air€fare.€ÏThe€company€(Blue€Bird€of€Tennessee)€paid€the€air€fares€for€theÏwives€of€the€male€employees.Ìà8 àà à8.à à€.€.€.€After€Susan€Ferrell€had€a€baby,€George€Law€said,Ïon€several€occasions:€ð ðSomebody€needs€to€go,€but€Susan€cannot€go„„she€has€a€family€now.ððÌà8 àà à9.à àWithout€question,€Susan€Ferrellððs€firing€in€August€ofÏ1995€was€pretextual.ÌÓ€ÓÌÓ€ÓAs€a€matter€of€law,€the€plaintiff€must€ultimately€produce€some€evidence€that€theÏtermination€was€due€to€discrimination.€€There€is€no€such€showing€here,€that€is,€aÏreasonable€jury€could€not€legitimately€resolve€the€fact€in€favor€of€Ms.€Ferrell.€ÏThe€only€evidence€is€that€Mr.€Law€made€general€statements€about€having€childrenÏand€work€and€the€role€of€women€in€child€care.€€While€these€are€certainlyÏquestionable€opinions;€they€are€just€that.€€It€is€too€much€of€a€stretch€to€attach€theseÏstatements€to€Ms.€Ferrellððs€termination.ÌÌà àMs.€Ferrell€has€simply€failed€to€produce€evidence€of€discrimination€underÏthe€Tennessee€Human€Rights€Act.€€The€trial€court€correctly€granted€summaryÍjudgment€in€favor€of€Blue€Bird€as€there€was€no€genuine€issue€as€to€a€materialÏfact.ÌÌà àTherefore,€it€follows€that€the€decision€of€the€chancery€court€is€affirmedÏand€remanded€for€any€further€necessary€proceedings.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€areÏtaxed€against€plaintiff/appellant,€Susan€Ferrell.ÌÌÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWALTER€W.€BUSSART,€JUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.€JUDGE