Public employee, marijuana, policy and procedure, off-duty conduct, drugs, disparate treatment.

Edward Grimes, a former employee with the United States Postal Service, files suit, challenging his dismissal. Postal officials terminated Grimes for misconduct after an internal investigation found him in possession of marijuana. Grimes petitioned the Merit System Protection Board for a review of his case. The board rejected Grimes' petition. Grimes filed a complaint, claiming marijuana addiction as a "mental handicap." Postal officials responded with a motion for summary judgment.

This is the first judicial review of this case.

Grimes loses. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri affirmed the merit board's decision to terminate Grimes' employment. The court ruled Grimes' was terminated for just cause and that he could not claim marijuana use as a handicap.