GRANT OF SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL REFEREE ASSOCIATION DEFENDED IN APPELLATE DIVISION AND NJ SUPREME COURT

A female high school basketball referee (the plaintiff) brought suit against the association to which she belonged, claiming that she was the victim of gender discrimination because the association did not assign her to officiate boys’ varsity basketball games.  Our Commercial Law & Litigation attorneys represented the association at the trial level and obtained summary judgment in favor of the association on the grounds that reasonable minds could not dispute that the plaintiff did not have the required experience and ability to referee the varsity games.  The trial court also concluded that the plaintiff did not satisfy the elements of the provision of the Law Against Discrimination she claimed the association violated.  Plaintiff filed an appeal with the Appellate Division.  Our Appeals attorneys defended the ruling of the court below on the ground that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate that the lower court made any material errors.  The Appellate Division affirmed – i.e. upheld the grant of summary judgment in favor of the association. The plaintiff then asked the NJ Supreme Court to hear the case.  Our Appeals attorneys again successfully opposed; the Supreme Court declined to hear the matter.