Today, the Supreme Court released a unanimous opinion in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, an employment discrimination case centered on the legal application of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Court ruled that the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals made an error when applying a heightened evidentiary burden to the plaintiff’s case.
The Court did not disturb important, existing legal standards under Title VII or reject the idea that courts may consider the unfortunate realities of pervasive and disproportionate discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, Black communities, and other historically marginalized groups in America. The case was sent back to the lower court instructing it to correctly apply the prevailing legal standard to decide whether the plaintiff, Marlean Ames, can continue her employment discrimination claim.
“Simply put, the Ames decision reaffirms Title VII’s antidiscrimination principles and framework by holding that they apply equally to everyone. We are pleased that the Court did not use this case as an opportunity to wholly upend well-established Title VII principles and precedents,” said Jennifer A. Holmes, Deputy Director of Litigation at the Legal Defense Fund (LDF). “LDF will continue to ensure Title VII remains a powerful and necessary tool in addressing discrimination against Black people and other marginalized groups.”
“Nothing in the Supreme Court’s opinion today should be misunderstood to mean that majority groups are now at an advantage when taking their discrimination claims to court,” said Avatara Smith-Carrington, Assistant Counsel at LDF. “Everyone is protected by Title VII; however, there is a persisting legacy of discrimination targeting Black people and other historically marginalized groups that cannot be ignored. Today’s decision did not change the ability or obligation to address those harms.”
This case came before the Supreme Court after Ms. Ames filed a lawsuit claiming her employer, the Ohio Department of Youth Services, denied her a promotion for being a heterosexual woman. In January, LDF and several other civil rights organizations submitted an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to reaffirm foundational civil rights cases that govern Title VII’s protections for all employees. To learn more about this case, please visit our website.
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
