Stagehands brought action against city employees and city challenging city’s ban of stagehands from working at certain city-owned facilities based on their involvement in a charitable concert featuring the city’s mayor, alleging abuse of authority, violation of due process, and tortious interference with prospective business advantage.
Following a bench trial, the Circuit Court, entered judgment in favor of employees and city. Stagehands appealed. The Intermediate Court of Appeals affirmed. Stagehands petitioned for writ of certiorari, which was granted.
The Supreme Court of Hawaii held that:
- City had authority to impose ban;
- Ban implicated liberty interests protected by due process;
- City violated stagehands’ procedural due process rights; and
- Ban constituted tortious interference with prospective contractual relations.