Joseph J. Santarone Jr.

Significant Representative Matters

• Defense verdict in a discrimination case before the U.S. District Court of Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The plaintiff's termination from employment was, in part, based on the statements of women in the shelter where plaintiff worked whose identities could not be disclosed and did not testify. We argued that the decision makers' state of mind was what was relevant and that the statements of the women in the shelter were not hearsay since they were not offered for the truth of the matter asserted. The plaintiff appealed and the case was affirmed by the 3rd Circuit. 

• Obtained a defense verdict for Montgomery County and the District Attorney. A Montgomery County detective sued the District Attorney following his termination for poor job performance. The initial granting of Summary Judgment by the Eastern District of Federal Court was reversed by the 3rd Circuit and remanded for trial. The court found the reasons for the termination were not a pretext for unlawful discrimination. 

• Successfully defended three different civil rights suits where police officers shot suspects in the back, where it was learned the suspects were unarmed. 

• Defense verdict in jail suicide case where the entire suicide was caught on video tape and played before the jury. 

• Successfully defended school district in IDEA case for alleged failure to provide special education for female high school student. 

• Defense verdict for County in wrongful termination and defamation case where health department employee was discharged, E. coli outbreak and Commissioner identified her in pubic newscasts. 

• Defense verdict for a County brought by employee claiming his termination was based on race. 

• Defense verdict for private employer where plaintiff alleged age and sex discrimination. 

• Defense verdict for numerous police officers involved in arrest of a minister who suffered a heart attack after alleged excessive force. The plaintiff turned down a significant offer to settle before the lengthy trial resulted in complete exoneration for the officers. 

• Successfully defended and argued in the 3rd Circuit, which affirmed in favor of the officers, in significant case where criminal defendant, with no prior record, spend 11 months in jail on charges of killing his parents before the charges where dropped. Case is often cited on issues of probable cause. 

• Grant of Summary Judgment, which was affirmed by 3rd Circuit, in case where a teacher was arrested for stealing supplies but later cleared. The 3rd Circuit opinion is cited by many courts regarding the issues of reliance by police on eye witnesses for issues of establishing probable cause. 

Published Works

• "Employment Discrimination Claims: Arbitration Under Collective Bargaining Clauses (Co-Author)," Defense Digest, Vol. 2, No. 6, 1996 

• "Sex-Based Shift Assignments: Employers May Use Common Sense (Co-Author),” Defense Digest, Vol. 2, No. 7, 1996 

• "Superior Court Cuts Award in Sexual Harassment Case," Defense Digest, Vol. 3, No. 3, 1997 

• "Third Circuit Decision Will Cut Down ADA Claims," Defense Digest, Vol. 3, No. 6, 1997 

• "If 3rd Circuit Decision Stands, Fewer ADA Claims Can Be Filed," The Legal Intelligencer, December 3, 1997 

• "Third Circuit's Limitation On ADA 'Regarded As' Claims Is Short Lived," Defense Digest, Vol. 4, No. 4, 1998 

• "Student-On-Student Sexual Harassment: The Next Liability Minefield For School Districts," Defense Digest, Oct. Vol. 5, No. 5, 1999 

• "Direct Evidence Not Required in Age Discrimination Cases," Defense Digest, Vol., 6, No. 5, 2000 

• "Township Not Primarily Liable for Settlement of Personal Injury Case Involving Township Employee," Defense Digest, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2001 

• "Supervisory Rule Concerning Motions Based On Qualified Immunity Imposed," Lawyers Journal, 2003-09-05 

• "Third Circuit Rules Plaintiff Failed To Follow Pennsylvania Procedure For Petitioning Grand Jury Files," Defense Digest, Vol. 9, No. 4, 2003 

• "Third Circuit Imposes Supervisory Rule Concerning Motions Base On Qualified Immunity," Defense Digest, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2003 

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Numerous Seminars in Employment Law, Civil Rights and Municipal Liability Issues 

Education

• Widener University School of Law, Wilmington, Delaware, 1985 J.D.

  Honors: cum laude

• Widener University School of Law, Wilmington, Delaware, 1985 J.D.

  Honors: cum laude