Can a Colorado employer fire an employee for testing positive for marijuana?
That controversial question is at the center of a new Colorado Supreme Court case, which held its first hearing on Tuesday morning. Medical marijuana patient Brandon Coats was fired from Dish Network after a positive drug test. A series of trials have brought Coats’ case to Colorado’s highest court, and they will soon make a ruling — one that is being watched all over the U.S.
Of course Twitter made for some interesting reading after Coats’ first hearing — and here are 20 of the most entertaining and informative tweets about the case:
What the scene looked like inside the court:
Brandon Coats, the medical marijuana patient who is challenging his firing, is seated in his wheelchair in the aisle next to the front row.
— John Ingold (@johningold) September 30, 2014
Justices are grilling the Dish Network attorney, don’t seem to be buying her arguments, getting laugh from the crowd. pic.twitter.com/mn4v7ZcHeD
— Bryce Crawford (@BryceCrawford) September 30, 2014
Brandon Coats vs. Dish Network:
A special report from The Cannabist
Editorial: Why some Colorado employers still need no-marijuana policies
[poll id=”12″]Random reactions online tended to be rooting for Coats:
Dish Network is hopefully going to lose, and hire Brandon Coats back, allowing #Cannabis use before, during, and… http://t.co/lpukYqMVnk
— #Cannabis (@MarijAWanna) September 30, 2014
…@DISH fired Brandon Coats in spite of his excellent performance. Workers can be fired for bad performance regardless of outcome of case.
— Eric Jaffa (@EricJaffa) September 30, 2014
@COAttnyGeneral Disgusted by Coats vs. Dish Network. Medical marijuana is MEDICINE. Don't fire people for taking care of their health.
— Jeremy Cox (@JeremyCoxPhoto) September 30, 2014
We need to change this NOW! Fired Medical Marijuana Patient Makes His Case In State's Highest Court http://t.co/wqQlTBNR36 via @HuffPostPol
— Jetdoc1 (@jetdoc1) September 30, 2014
Other onlookers sat back and observed the “trainwreck:”
watching Coats v. Dish live. a very slow trainwreck. #COmarijuana #COSCT
— Sam Kamin (@ProfSamKamin) September 30, 2014
The inclusion of marijuana makes a standard hearing something of a nail-biter:
We're on the edge of our seats listening to Coats vs. Dish Network. Watch it live here: http://t.co/BMwFPZrV2q pic.twitter.com/iyVy3AMK7v
— Whaxy (@whaxyapp) September 30, 2014
There’s a lot on the line in the Coats case:
Brandon Coats fired in 2010 from Dish Network for THC in system. Case went to Colo Supreme Court today. Employment law on the line. #9news
— Chris Vanderveen (@chrisvanderveen) September 30, 2014
Read more of the day’s most informative and entertaining tweets …