Moses Leroy v. City of Houston

EDITH H. JONES, Circuit Judge:

The district court awarded attorneys’ fees and costs exceeding $1,000,000 to plaintiffs, who it found “prevailed” in three separate actions and administrative proceedings to enforce the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973Z et seq. against the City of Houston. We disagree with significant portions of the district court’s legal analysis, and consequently we REVERSE and REMAND.

I

The skirmish over attorneys’ fees culminates a complex, protracted and in many ways unique battle between the protagonists in this litigation. In December, 1973, the plaintiffs-appellees,…