Legal Opinion
Minnie Ann Hennigan v. Ouachita Parish School Board
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Decided January 7, 1985No. 84-4157PublishedCited by 61 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
ALVIN B. RUBIN, Circuit Judge:
Minnie Ann Hennigan, as named representative of a class, appeals from the district court’s denial of a motion for attorney’s fees filed under the Civil Rights Attorney’s Fees Awards Act of 1976. 1 Clarifying the test applied in this circuit, we hold that a plaintiff who achieves the goal sought in a civil rights suit by voluntary action of the defendant prevails within the meaning of the Act if she demonstrates that the suit caused the defendant to act, unless the defendant proves that the plaintiff’s claim had no colorable merit and the defendant made the change…
2Cases cited37 opinions
- Hensley v. EckerhartSupreme Court of the United States · 1983
- Maher v. GagneSupreme Court of the United States · 1980
- Larry Nadeau v. Raymond A. Helgemoe, Warden, New Hampshire State PrisonCourt of Appeals for the First Circuit · 1978
- Smith v. RobinsonSupreme Court of the United States · 1984
- William Knighton, Cross-Appellant v. John C. Watkins, Cross-AppelleesCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1980
32 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by61 opinions
- Supre v. RickettsCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1986
- Reuben Palmer v. City of ChicagoCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 1987
- Moses Leroy v. City of HoustonCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1987
- Dorothy Frazier v. The Board of Trustees of Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical CenterCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1985
- William Taylor v. City of Fort Lauderdale, Leo Callahan, Etc., Donald R. Hall, Etc., DefendantsCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit · 1987
56 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.