Burton v. Will County Sheriff’s Merit Commission

Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Civil Rights Act
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 23-1802
Decision Date: 
May 22, 2026
Federal District: 
N.D. Ill., Eastern Div.
Holding: 
Affirmed.
Judge: 
SYKES

Plaintiff filed a lawsuit under the Civil Rights Act alleging that he was removed from an employment hiring certification process because of his race. The district court entered summary judgment for the defendant and plaintiff appealed. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, finding that plaintiff did not produce any evidence to support the conclusion that race played a role in the defendant’s decision and nothing in the record supported an inference that the removal of plaintiff from the certification process based on a negative professional reference was pretext for racial discrimination. (HAMILTON and LEE, concurring)