First Circuit Grills Rhode Island Vets Office on Bias Defense

The First Circuit had little patience for the Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services’ argument Monday that a former associate director shouldn’t get a jury trial for her allegations that her layoff was discriminatory.

The former employee “brings a case of discrimination without any evidence of discrimination,” said Paul Meosky of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office in his opening argument Monday before the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

“Counsel, you just heard extensive discussions, so perhaps instead of making grandiose statements like your opening, you could focus please on the issues that we’ve identified,” Judge Sandra ...