Case docket
Jeanna Norris v. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., et al. — U.S. District Court, W.D. Mich.
Jeanna Norris v. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., et al. — 27 court filings in the archive, mostly from U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, filed between August 27, 2021 and March 14, 2022. Among them: 3 orders, 3 motions and 3 opinions.
Case facts
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan (16 filings); U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan (5 filings) |
|---|---|
| Filings | 27 public filings |
| Filed | 2021-08-27 – 2022-03-14 |
| Document types | orders (3), motions (3), opinions (3), complaints (2), declarations (2), memorandum or brief (1) |
| Original PDFs | 27 of 27 |
Case summary
Jeanna Norris filed a class action complaint on August 27, 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, No. 1:21-cv-756, against the president and the members of the board of trustees of Michigan State University in their official capacities, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief over the university's COVID-19 vaccine requirement for staff. The court denied a temporary restraining order on August 31, 2021. On January 21, 2022 it granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the first amended complaint as to count II, the unconstitutional conditions doctrine and procedural due process, and count III, the Supremacy Clause, reserving on count I. On February 22, 2022 it dismissed count I, substantive due process, entered judgment and terminated the action. A notice of appeal was filed March 14, 2022.
Case at a glance
| Parties | Plaintiff Jeanna Norris, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated, represented by the New Civil Liberties Alliance; defendants Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., president of Michigan State University, and the chair, vice chair and members of its board of trustees, in their official capacities, and John and Jane Does 1-10 |
|---|---|
| Court and docket | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division, No. 1:21-cv-00756-PLM-SJB |
| Program | No relief program. The subject is Michigan State University's COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees |
| Claims | Count I, violation of the substantive due process right to refuse unwanted medical care; count II, violation of the unconstitutional conditions doctrine and procedural due process; count III, violation of the Supremacy Clause. Declaratory and injunctive relief sought, with a jury demanded |
| Disposition or status | Dismissed. Counts II and III were dismissed on January 21, 2022 and count I on February 22, 2022; judgment entered and the action terminated the same day. Notice of appeal filed March 14, 2022 |
| Status checked | 2026-09-23 · against DOJ press releases through 2026-09-22; court docket not yet read |
What did the court decide first?
On August 31, 2021 it denied a temporary restraining order. On January 21, 2022 it granted the motion to dismiss as to counts II and III and reserved on count I, stating it would issue a subsequent order on that count after further argument.
How did the case end in the district court?
By an opinion and order of February 22, 2022 dismissing count I, the substantive due process claim, and terminating the case, followed by a judgment under Rule 58 recording that the court had resolved all pending claims.
What is on the page besides the pleadings and rulings?
Expert declarations filed by both sides on the preliminary injunction, including a declaration and rebuttal declaration for the defendants and a declaration for the plaintiffs, a brief in support of a motion to strike one of them, the first amended class action complaint of November 5, 2021, and the briefing on the motion to dismiss.
Summary written from the documents on this page; every sentence is sourced.
Filings
27 public filings from this case, in filing-date order.
- Class Action ComplaintComplaint · PDF
- Order Denying TROOrder · PDF
- Defendants' Opposition to Preliminary InjunctionPDF
- Declaration of Marcus Zervos, M.D.Declaration · PDF
- Declaration of Hooman Noorchashm, M.D., Ph.D.Declaration · PDF
- Plaintiffs' Reply Brief for Preliminary InjunctionPDF
- Rebuttal Declaration of Marcus Zervos, M.D.PDF
- Brief in Support of Motion to Strike Zervos Declaration — Norris v. Stanley (W.D. Mich.)Memorandum or brief · PDF
- Exhibit 1 — Counsel Email Exchange (Dkt. 22-2)Exhibit · PDF
- Motion for Alternative Forms of ReliefMotion · PDF
- Noorchashm Reply DeclarationPDF
- Defendants' Response to Motion for Alternative ReliefPDF
- Order Denying Motion to StrikeOrder · PDF
- Motion for Leave to File Amicus Brief (Kerr)Motion · PDF
- Opinion Denying Preliminary InjunctionOpinion · PDF
- Order Denying Emergency Stay Pending AppealOrder · PDF
- Bhattacharya-Kulldorff Joint DeclarationPDF
- First Amended Class Action ComplaintComplaint · PDF
- Order Dismissing Motion to Dismiss as Moot — Norris v. StanleyPDF
- MSU Brief in Support of Motion to DismissPDF
- Motion to Dismiss Amended ComplaintMotion · PDF
- Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss — Norris v. StanleyPDF
- MSU Reply in Support of Motion to DismissPDF
- Opinion Granting MTD in PartOpinion · PDF
- JudgmentJudgment · PDF
- Opinion and Order Granting Motion to DismissOpinion · PDF
- Notice of AppealNotice · PDF
Court, dates and docket numbers are as recorded on the filings.