CINCINNATI (AP) -- A jury has sided with a teacher who sued a Catholic archdiocese in Ohio, saying it violated anti-discrimination laws by firing her after she became pregnant via artificial insemination.
The federal jury found the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati discriminated against Christa Dias by firing her in 2010. The panel awarded her more than $170,000.
Dias says she was "very happy and relieved" with the verdict.
Her attorney had argued she was fired simply because she was pregnant and unmarried.
The archdiocese's attorney said Dias was fired because artificial insemination violated church doctrine and a contract requiring her to follow Catholic teachings.
The jury said the archdiocese should pay $51,000 in back-pay, $20,000 in compensatory damages and $100,000 in punitive damages.
Dias had sued the archdiocese and two of its schools. The jury didn't find the schools liable for damages.