ASS'N FOR LA DEPUTY SHERIFFS v. County of LA

Elizabeth J. Gibbons, Green & Shinee, Encino, CA, for the plaintiffs-appellants.

Connie C. Almond (argued) and Jeffrey C. Freedman, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, Los Angeles, CA, for the defendants-appellees.

Before: HARRY PREGERSON, D.W. NELSON, and SANDRA S. IKUTA, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge PREGERSON, Partial Concurrence and Partial Dissent by Judge IKUTA.

PREGERSON, Circuit Judge:

This appeal concerns the requirements of due process when law enforcement officers charged with felonies are suspended without pay. We affirm in part and reverse in part the decision of the district court.

Plaintiffs Darrin Wilkinson, David Sherr, Lisa Brown Debs, and Sean O'Donoghue are four current or former Los Angeles County deputy sheriffs, joined by their union, the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (collectively, "Plaintiffs"). Defendants are the County of Los Angeles (the "County"), the Los Angeles County Supervisors (the "Supervisors"), the Los Angeles County Civil Service Commissioners (the "Civil Service Commissioners"), and the Los Angeles County Sheriff (the "Sheriff") (collectively, "Defendants").

All four deputy sheriffs were charged with felonies. Plaintiff Wilkinson…