Plaintiffs–Appellants Carlos D. Goad and Robert J. Wuchich (“plaintiffs”) were employed as Corrections Officers in the mental health unit at the Mansfield Correctional Institution (“MANCI”) in Mansfield, Ohio. On March 26, 1999, they filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio pursuant to
42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that Betty Mitchell, the Warden at MANCI, Jacqui Visintine, a Labor Relations Officer at MANCI, and M.A. Gilbert, an Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper assigned to MANCI, (“defendants”) had retaliated against them in violation of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
On April 30, 1999, the defendants filed an answer to the complaint, raising the affirmative defense of qualified immunity, and on May 28, 1999, the defendants moved for judgment on the pleadings pursuant to
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c). Stating that “[b]ecause their complaint fails to specify the content, context, and timing of their allegedly protected activities, this Court cannot assess whether the plaintiffs would be able to overcome the defense of qualified immunity,” the district court on April 5, 2000 denied the defendants' motion for judgment on the pleadings and ordered the plaintiffs to file a more specific amended complaint. Joint Appendix (“J.A.”) at 17 (Mem. and Order).