A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling denying a former Newark city police officer's claim that he was entitled to nearly $1 million in back wages, including a pension, in his wrongful termination case.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit denied Darren M. Nance's appeal of a federal judge's ruling that the jury award he received of $350,000 for his termination did not contemplate the money he sought after the trial. Nance had submitted to the court a correspondence from the state of New Jersey stating the correct amount of mitigated wages was $980,942.

The district court issued an amended order reflecting that amount. However, Third Circuit Judge Thomas Ambro wrote in his opinion that “the court did not err. It explained the amended order was issued at Nance's request solely based on his representations that it was necessary and required by the state of New Jersey to process his pension benefits. In no event was it an increase in damages.”