Judge won't reconsider postmaster's lawsuit 
The Morning News
(Wednesday, April 5, 2000)

A federal judge on Tuesday said he would not reconsider dismissal of a 
civil-rights lawsuit filed by Fayetteville Postmaster Linda Patrick.

Dismissal of the case by U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren in early 
March marked the second time in as many tries that a federal discrimination 
lawsuit by Patrick has been thrown out.

Lawyers for the U.S. Postal Service and Postmaster William Henderson recently 
asked Hendren to dismiss a federal sexual-discrimination and slander lawsuit 
filed by Patrick because they said it failed to state any legitimate claims, 
is based on complaints that were found to be groundless and that she failed 
to exhaust all remedies available prior to suing.

Hendren agreed and dismissed the case, saying Patrick has failed to exhaust 
the administrative remedies available to her under federal law. Hendren also 
said the court has no jurisdiction over Patrick's breach-of-contract claims.

Henderson and the postal service also had filed an answer denying all 
allegations of wrongdoing by Patrick.

Patrick, who last year dropped a similar federal lawsuit alleging she was 
slandered and libeled by several local and national postal unions and their 
representatives and local union representatives who had personal animosity 
toward her, filed the latest suit in October.

She claimed she was discriminated against by the postal service and 
Henderson. The newer suit was based on, and raised, many of the same 
allegations contained in the previous suit.