Nichols

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

KATHLEEN NICHOLS, 

Plaintiff-Appellant, v. No. 07-15654 LAURA DANCER, in her official D.C. No. capacity and individual capacity; JAMES L. HAGER, in his official  CV-04-00559- capacity and individual capacity; LRH/LRL and WASHOE COUNTY SCHOOL OPINION DISTRICT, a political subdivision of the State of Nevada, Defendants-Appellees.  Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Nevada Larry R. Hicks, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted October 23, 2008—San Francisco, California

Filed May 18, 2009

Before: J. Clifford Wallace, Sidney R. Thomas and Susan P. Graber, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Thomas COUNSEL

Jeffrey S. Blanck, Reno, Nevada, for the appellant.

C. Robert Cox, Christopher D. Jaime, Maupin, Cox & LeGoy, Reno, Nevada, for the appellees.

OPINION

THOMAS, Circuit Judge:

This appeal presents the question of whether the patronage dismissal doctrine immunizes public employers who termi- nate employees on the basis of perceived lack of personal loy- alty. We conclude that it…