Democratic Party of Washington State Paul Berendt James Apa Helen Carlstrom Vivian Caver Charlotte Coker Edward Cote Ted Highley Sally Kapphahn Karen Marchioro David McDonald Joseph Nilsson David Peterson Margarita Prentice Karen Price Marilyn Sayan John Thompson Ya-Yue Van, Washington State Grange Terry Hunt Jane Hodde, Intervenors-Appellees, and Republican State Committee of Washington, Jeff Kent Lindsey Echelbarger Libertarian Party of Washington Washington State Grange Terry Hunt Jane Hodde Christopher Vance Dione Ludlow John Mills Freedom Socialist Party Green Party of Washington Chris Caputo Donald Crawford Erne Lewis, Intervenors v. Sam Reed, Secretary of State of the State of Washington, Democratic Party of Washington State Paul Berendt James Apa Helen Carlstrom Vivian Caver Charlotte Coker Edward Cote Ted Highley Sally Kapphahn Karen Marchioro David McDonald Joseph Nilsson David Peterson Margarita Prentice Karen Price Marilyn Sayan John Thompson Ya-Yue Van, Jeff Kent, Libertarian Party of Washington Washington State Grange Terry Hunt Jane Hodde Dione Ludlow John Mills Freedom Socialist Party Green Party of Washington Chris Caputo Donald Crawford Erne Lewis, Intervenors, and Republican State Committee of Washington, Jeff Kent Lindsey Echelbarger Libertarian Party of Washington Washington State Grange Terry Hunt Jane Hodde Christopher Vance Dione Ludlow John Mills Freedom Socialist Party Green Party of Washington Chris Caputo Donald Crawford Erne Lewis Christopher Vance Lindsey Echelbarger Diane Tebelius, Intervenors-Appellants, Washington State Grange Terry Hunt Jane Hodde, Intervenors-Appellees v. Sam Reed, Secretary of State of the State of Washington, Democratic Party of Washington State Paul Berendt James Apa Helen Carlstrom Vivian Caver Charlotte Coker Edward Cote Ted Highley Sally Kapphahn Karen Marchioro David McDonald Joseph Nilsson David Peterson Margarita Prentice Karen Price Marilyn Sayan John Thompson Ya-Yue Van, Christopher Vance Republican State Committee of Washington, Jeff Kent Lindsey Echelbarger Dione Ludlow Freedom Socialist Party Green Party of Washington Diane Tebelius, Intervenors, and Libertarian Party of Washington State John Mills Chris Caputo Donald Crawford Erne Lewis, Intervenors-Appellants, Washington State Grange Terry Hunt Jane Hodde, Intervenors-Appellees v. Sam Reed, Secretary of State of the State of Washington

388 F.3d 1281 · Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 2004

Facts

The Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian Parties successfully sued the Washington Secretary of State under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to eliminate the state's unconstitutional 'blanket primary' system. This opinion addresses their motion for attorneys' fees on appeal, which the State opposed, arguing special circumstances and excessiveness. The Washington State Grange, an intervening defendant, also argued it should not be liable for any fees.

Issue

Are the prevailing political parties entitled to recover attorneys' fees on appeal under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 in their civil rights action against the State of Washington? Additionally, should an intervening defendant, the Washington State Grange, be held liable for these attorneys' fees?

Holding

Yes, the political parties are entitled to attorneys' fees from the Secretary of State, as no special circumstances or excessive billing justified denial. No, the intervening defendant, Washington State Grange, is not liable for fees because its position, though rejected, was not frivolous, unreasonable, or without foundation.

Rule

A prevailing party in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action should ordinarily recover attorneys' fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 unless special circumstances render such an award unjust. Attorneys' fees should be awarded against losing intervenors only where their action was frivolous, unreasonable, or without foundation.

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