Hunt v. Bittman

How later courts describe this case

• ruling that “counsel must seek and obtain an advance ruling from the [c]ourt on the permissibility of arguing for an adverse inference to be drawn from the absence of witnesses”
• finding no coercion where there was no evidence that the defendant never required the plaintiff to choose between accepting large automobiles and facing a cutoff of small automobiles
• reinstatement of ADEA plaintiff upheld where there had been no showing that plaintiff was unqualified for the job or that he was incompatible with defendants
• no interest on Age Discrimination in Employment Act award because Congress has compensated for delay via award of statutory double recovery of back wages
• criminal defendant’s cause of action against attorney for malpractice accrued when he was sentenced and incarcerated after pleading guilty
• The court considered the prejudicial effects of news coverage of the hostages in Iran on defendants charged with stealing an American flag during a pro-Iranian demonstration.
• actual coercion, intimidation or threats are essential element to a cause of action under this section
• liquidated damages award precludes prejudgment interest award