Argued: May 31, Decided and Filed: September 9, Justin S. Brandon O. Gilbert , Michael L. Gibson , James I. Plaintiff - Appellant June Beecham appeals the district court 's July 2, , order granting motions for summary judgment filed by Defendants - Appellees Henderson County , Tennessee, and Kenny Cavness. Plaintiff 's complaint was brought under 42 U.
Plaintiff claimed that Defendants wrongfully terminated her at-will employment with the county because of her intimate association with one Steve Milam , which included an engagement to be married. Defendants responded that Plaintiff 's relationship was "adulterous" and, under our decision in Marcum v.
McWhorter , F. The district court agreed with Defendants , granting them summary judgment. We affirm the judgment of the district court , although on different grounds. Milam's overture was made while he was still married to although living apart from Patricia Leigh Milam.
Milam was employed as the Clerk and Master of another Henderson County court , the Chancery Court , the offices of which were on the same floor in the courthouse as those of the Circuit Court Clerk for whom Plaintiff worked.
Cavness told Halters that he had decided to terminate Plaintiff 's employment and that one of the reasons for his decision was the observation that Plaintiff 's relationship with Mr. Milam was causing tension in the courthouse in general and in the Circuit Court Clerk's office in particular. Halter advised Cavness that he could terminate Plaintiff 's at-will employment without violating any state or federal law.
