Cobb

Defendant, the University of Southern California, has moved to dismiss the appeal of plaintiff, Marvin Cobb. Plaintiff tried two separate claims to a jury. The first cause of action tried to the jury was for contract breach. The second cause of action tried to the jury was for race discrimination. On June 6, 1994, the jury returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff on his contract breach claim. The jury awarded plaintiff $1.1 million for economic losses. Also, the jury returned a verdict of an additional $1.1 million in noneconomic damages on plaintiff's contract breach cause of action. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on plaintiff's race discrimination cause of action.

The race discrimination claim was set for retrial. The results of the postjudgment motions are somewhat confusing. However, based on the record submitted by the parties pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 42(a), the following constitutes the present litigation state of affairs. The trial court granted what amounts to a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict as to all of plaintiff's non-economic damages allegedly arising from his contract breach cause of action.…