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Norris v. Stanley

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CASE: Norris v. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., in his official capacity as President of Michigan State University, et al.

STATUS: Active

NCLA ROLE: Counsel

COURTS HEARD IN: 6th Cir., W.D. Mich.

ORIGINAL COURT: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

DECIDING COURT: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

OPENED: August 27, 2021

AGENCIES: Michigan State University

FOCUS AREAS:

Due Process Violations

The due process of law guarantees a right to be held to account only through the processes of an impartial court—something administrative tribunals violate every day.

CASE SUMMARY

Jeanna Norris, Kraig Ehm, and D’Ann Rohrer were all Michigan State University employees who naturally acquired immunity to COVID-19. However, the university threatened disciplinary action, even termination, if she and other employees did not comply with the its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. Ms. Norris received a religous exemption to the rule, but Mr. Ehm and Ms. Rohrer were eventually fired for refusing Covid-19 vaccination. NCLA lawsuit challenges the policy on behalf of these three individuals and others similarly situated at MSU.

MSU first announced “COVID Directives” for the Fall 2021 semester via email on July 30, and shortly thereafter on its website, alerting faculty, staff, and students that by August 31 they must complete a full COVID-19 vaccine course or receive at least one dose of a two-dose series, unless they obtained a religious or medical exemption. MSU’s policy specifically excluded natural immunity as a basis for a medical exemption.

Ms. Norris’ immunologist, Dr. Hooman Noorchashm, has advised her that it is medically unnecessary to undergo vaccination. Yet, if Ms. Norris followed her doctor’s advice and elected not to take the vaccine without recieiving a religious exemption, she would faced adverse disciplinary consequences from her employer. That policy could not reasonably be considered anything other than coercive.

OUR CLIENT

Jeanna Norris, Plaintiff

OUR TEAM

Mark Chenoweth
President and Chief Legal Officer
Jenin Younes
Litigation Counsel
John J. Vecchione
Senior Litigation Counsel
Greg Dolin
Senior Litigation Counsel

RELEVANT MATERIALS

NCLA FILINGS

Petition for a Writ of Certiorari

March 8, 2024 | Read More

Order of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

October 11, 2023 | Read More

Petition for Rehearing En Banc

August 28, 2023 | Read More

Opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

July 13, 2023 | Read More

Class Action Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief

May 12, 2023 | Read More

SEE 28 FILINGS
PRESS RELEASES

NCLA Asks Supreme Court to Revisit 120-year-old Precedent that Led to Rights Abuses Amid Pandemic

March 11, 2024 | Read More

NCLA Clients, Two Fired by MSU, Appeal Its Unlawful Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate to Sixth Circuit

July 5, 2022 | Read More

Watch: NCLA Video Reveals Impact of Vaccine Mandates on College Employees with Natural Immunity

December 10, 2021

NCLA Represents COVID-19 Survivors in Class-Action Lawsuit Against Mich. State U. Vaccine Mandate

August 27, 2021

MI District Court Ruling Keeps MSU Vaccine Mandate in Place, NCLA Plans Appeal to Sixth Circuit

February 23, 2021

IN THE MEDIA

Government Is Interfering in What Should Be Personal Health Decisions People Make With Their Doctor

Fox News

February 7, 2023

Ordering Private Companies to Impose Vaccine Mandates Is Completely Unconstitutional

WMAL

February 7, 2023

California Colleges and Public Schools Ordering More Vaccine Mandates Than Most Other States

California Globe

February 7, 2023

Proof of natural immunity could pose legal challenge to covid-19 vaccine mandates - heres why

Yahoo!News

February 7, 2023

Court precedents appear to back Biden’s national coronavirus vaccine order, legal experts say

Michigan Live

February 7, 2023

SEE 8 MEDIA MENTIONS

CASE HIGHLIGHTS

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