DLNR AND ED UNDERWOOD SUED FOR SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

ANATOMY OF A CASE

On August 18, 2022, Department of Land and Natural Resources DOBAR chief, Ed Underwood, and the DLNR, were sued for sexual harassment  and retaliaton by Jamielynn Cassidy, a secretary for the department.   The case was settled  on 3/15/2023, reportedly for $45,000.   Underwood and DLNR denied wrongdoing, as expected in this type of case.    (Link here to  press release from Hawaii Governor Josh Green's office).

Do you think Ed Underwood should resign or be fired from his position as DOBAR chief, or are there other alternatives.    Please respond by email to carroll@carrollcox.com

We are positing court documents received from the state judiciary website to give the public insight into how these matters are treated.

 Link here  for a copy of the court documents file in the case.   

Following is a timeline of the documents in the case:

8/18/22 -    Complaint and summons filed   Case assigned to 14th Division, Judge Gary Chang presiding.

8/22/22 -    Civil Information Sheet filed

8/30/22 -    Service returned and acknowledged and Notice of Request for Scheduling Conference

8/31/22 -    Zoom conference scheduled and notice of court date provided.

9/01/22 -    Certificate of Service setting scheduling Conference issued

9/09/22 -    Service returned and acknowledged

9/15/22 -    DLNR answers complaint filed 8/18

9/30/22 -    Underwood files motion to dismiss complaint

9/30/22  -    Notice of court date issued

10/3/22 -    Notice of duty to identifiy records and exhibits issued

10/20/22 -  Joint report of the parties filed

10/24/22 -  Scheduling of Conference statements and certificate of service

10/31/22 -   Plaintiffs memorandum in opposition to Underwoods motion to Dismissed filed

10/31/22 -    Jury trail waived  and notice of court date

11/01/22 -     Certificates of service

11/03/22 -    Underwood's initial disclosures certificate of service

11/04/22       Notice of mandatory settlement conference and order

11/09/22 -    Underwood's reply to opposition to motion to dismiss

11/1722 -     Proposed order granting plaintiffs oral motion for leave to file amended complaint

11/17/22 -    Order denying Underwood's motion to dismiss

11/17/22 -    First amended complaint summons

11/22/22 -     Underwood's answer to complaint filed

11/25/22 -     Order granted to file amended complaint

11/25/22 -     Order denying Underwood's motion to dismiss

11/28/22 -     DLNR's answer to amended complaint filed

11/28/22 -     Certificate of service for Underwood and DLNR's offer of settlement

12/07/22 -    Certificate of service filed

01/20/23 -     Proposed stipulation for partial dismissal without prejudice against Underwood and DLNR

01/27/23 -     Stipulation for partial dismissal filed

03/14/23         Stipulation for dismissal with prejudice of all claims and parties filed

3/15/23 -         Dismissal with prejudice of all claims issued