Friedrich v. City of Chicago

POSNER, Circuit Judge.

The question presented by this appeal is whether the judge in a civil rights case may *513order the losing party to reimburse the cost incurred by the winner to hire an expert witness. The Civil Rights Attorney’s Fees Awards Act of 1976, amending 42 U.S.C. § 1988, provides that in any suit under a variety of federal civil rights statutes, “the court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing party, other than the United States, a reasonable attorney’s fee as part of the costs” paid by the loser. As interpreted by the courts, the Act entitles a prevailing plaintiff to such…