Court rejects woman police officer's appeal of lower court rulings in discrimination case

In Burkhardt v. City of Lansing, the plaintiff police officer sued her department alleging sexual harassment and retaliation.  The jury found that there was harassment, but awarded no damages.  She appealed, alleging several errors by the judge and that the judge was biased. 

The Court of Appeals rejected Burkhardt's appeal.  It concluded that she could not appeal those judicial decisions which her counsel had concurred in, and that the trial judge's rulings did not show a "deep-seated favoritism or antagonism."  It also rejected the award of zero damages, ruling that her damage proofs were too vague and general.