Appeals court rejects surgeon’s bid for reinstatement at county hospital
Dr. James Tate won't be a trauma surgeon at University Medical Center anytime soon after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to reinstate Tate's privileges at the county hospital.
Tate's contract with UMC was suspended in August 2008 after he was accused of pushing the grandmother of a teenager he was treating.
His past includes a misdemeanor conviction in connection with an incident at a Radio Shack, but the appellate court in its opinion issued Tuesday did not address the legal issues behind Tate's suspension.
Instead, justices focused on the fact that UMC terminated Tate's clinical privileges after he filed his lawsuit, which rendered his initial request for reinstatement a moot point.
Tate's legal argument alleged the hospital violated his civil rights.
The District Court dismissed that claim.
