Farnworth v. Femling

JOHNSON, Justice.

This is a public employment case. We affirm the trial court’s summary judgment dismissing the employee’s claims for breach of implied contract of employment and for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. We conclude that the trial court should not have granted summary judgment dismissing the employee’s federal civil rights First Amendment claim and the employee’s tort of wrongful discharge claim.

I

THE BACKGROUND AND PRIOR PROCEEDINGS.

Eugene Farnworth was hired in 1977 as a deputy sheriff for Blaine County (the county). Farnworth worked for the county…