North Kingstown School Committee v. Wagner

In this employment dispute, the Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the superior court insofar as it granted the North Kingstown School Committee’s (“school committee”) motion to quash the subpoenas of two attorneys for the school committee, and affirmed the judgment in all other respects.After the school committee voted to terminate Teacher’s employment, Teacher appealed to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education within the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE). At Teacher’s request, the RIDE hearing officer issued three subpoenas addressed to two attorneys for the school committee and a subpoena duces tecum to the North Kingstown School Department. In superior court, the school committee filed a petition to quash the three subpoenas issued by the RIDE hearing officer. The hearing justice granted in part and denied in part the motion. The Supreme Court vacated in part and affirmed in part the superior court’s judgment, holding that the hearing justice applied the attorney-client privilege to the attorneys’ anticipated testimony in an overly broad manner. The court remanded the case for further proceedings. View "North Kingstown School Committee v. Wagner" on Justia Law