Terry Andoscia v. Town of North Smithfield

Citations

• 159 A.3d 79
• 2017 WL 1946258
• 2017 R.I. LEXIS 55

Syllabus

The plaintiff, Terry Andoscia, appealed a Superior Court judgment in favor of North Smithfield, by and through its finance director, Cheryl Ficarra, and the town administrator, Paulette Hamilton (collectively, the defendants). The matter arose from the plaintiff's termination from employment during his fourth consecutive two-year term appointment as assistant zoning inspector in the Town of North Smithfield. The plaintiff thereafter filed a complaint in the Superior Court, alleging that his appointment constituted a contract of employment and, therefore, his termination without cause constituted a breach of contract and a violation of his constitutional rights. The Superior Court subsequently entered final judgment for the defendants. After reviewing the record, the Supreme Court concluded that the trial justice did not err in finding that no contract of employment existed under the facts as presented. The Supreme Court, therefore, affirmed the judgment of the Superior Court and returned the record thereto.