Court affirms reduction in attorney fees for modest win in excessive-force case

Federal Courts

By Jay S. Judge

Jay S. Judge, a name partner of Judge, James & Kujawa LLC in Park Ridge, is a defense attorney who specializes in trials, appeals and insurance coverage. Judge graduated with honors from The John Marshall Law School and served as editor-in-chief of the school’s law review.

Posted September 16, 2014 2:31 PM

Today’s 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case involves the trial court’s discretion to reduce attorney fees that dwarfed the damages recovered on an excessive-force claim against two Chicago police officers. Police arrested Andy Montanez on a charge of public drunkenness, and he later riposted by suing the officers under the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 1983. One officer was found liable, and Montanez was awarded $1,000 compensatory and $1,000 punitive damages. The other officer was cleared …

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