Case No. 18-0946

Qasim Ali Baloch
v.
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Shalini Sabhu, Darrin Meyers, and Starla Wasielewski

Appellant

Qasim Ali Baloch

Appellee

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Shalini Sabhu, Darrin Meyers, and Starla Wasielewski

Attorney for the Appellant

Bruce H. Stoltze, Jr.

Attorney for the Appellee

Christopher E. Hoyme and Jacqueline F. Langland

Court of Appeals

Court of Appeals Opinion

Summary

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Lawrence P. McLellan, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Heard by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Doyle and Bower, JJ.  Opinion by Vaitheswaran, P.J.  (18 pages)

            Qasim Baloch appeals the district court’s denial of his motion for new trial after a jury returned a verdict in favor of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. on his claims of employment discrimination.  On appeal, Baloch challenges (I) the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the jury verdict; (II) defense references to prior lawsuits; (III) the district court’s refusal to rescind Pioneer’s peremptory strikes of two jurors; and (IV) the district court’s decision to instruct the jury on his failure to mitigate damages.  OPINION HOLDS: Upon our review, we affirm and conclude (I) substantial evidence supports the jury verdict; (II) Baloch was not prejudiced by testimony about money damages because he raised a timely objection and prevailed on his request to bar an answer to the question; (III) the district court acted appropriately in denying Baloch’s challenges to Jurors 3 and 5; and (IV) the district court did not err in denying Baloch’s motion for directed verdict and his motion for new trial with regard to the jury instruction on mitigation of damages.