Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry wants the public to know what judges do. So as she begins her seven-year term as chief judge of the St. Louis-based federal court, she says she wants to focus on the court's outreach efforts. Perry is the third consecutive woman to serve as chief judge of the District Court in St. Louis. Judge Carol E. Jackson, whom Perry follows, became chief in 2002 after Judge Jean C. Hamilton completed her seven-year term.

Tagged with: Carol Jackson Catherine D. Perry chief judge Doug Burris Jean Hamilton Jim Woodward U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri

St. Louis-based Panera Bread Co. agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a wage-and-hour class action lawsuit filed on behalf of general managers who work in the company's California cafes. The lawsuit began as a nationwide class action suit alleging violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act and California law. It was originally filed in federal court in San Francisco, but Panera had it moved to the St. Louis federal court last summer. The suit alleged that Panera misclassified its general managers as exempt from overtime requirements but that they performed the duties of nonexempt employees.

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A federal appeals court said five St. Louis County employees can pursue their racial discrimination lawsuit against the county. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday the federal trial court was wrong to grant the county’s motion for ...

Tagged with: 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Jean Hamilton racial discrimination St. Louis County employees