Kay v. David Douglas School District No 40
| Decision Date | 19 January 1988 |
| Docket Number | No. 87-734,87-734 |
| Parties | Steven KAY et al. v. DAVID DOUGLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 40 et al |
| Court | U.S. Supreme Court |
On petition for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of Oregon.
The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied.
This case presents the difficult question whether a plaintiff can recover attorney's fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 when the underlying action has become moot because of compliance by the defendant with a court order. Here petitioners challenged respondents' plans to incorporate formal public prayer in the commencement exercises of a public high school. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to persuade respondents to drop the public prayer, petitioners brought suit in state court, challenging respondents' plans as violative of the State and Federal Constitutions and seeking attorney's fees under state law and § 1988. The trial court made an oral ruling that the planned public prayer violated state and federal law, and consequently respondents dropped the public prayer from the commencement exercises. About a month after the commencement exercises, the trial court issued a written order reaffirming the earlier oral decision and awarding attorney's fees. The Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed the holding that the planned public prayer violated the State Constitution and affirmed the award of attorney's fees under § 1988. 79 Or.App. 384, 719 P.2d 875 (1986).
The Oregon Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and remanded the case to the trial court to vacate the judgment. 303 Or. 574, 738 P.2d 1389 (1987). The court reasoned that there was no longer a justiciable controversy because petitioners had already graduated, public prayer was not included in their commencement exercises, and petitioners did not seek to enjoin future repetitions of this challenged conduct. The court held that under Oregon law, the oral order was not an effective preliminary injunction or final order until it was reduced to writing and by the time it was rendered in writing the controversy was no longer justiciable.
The Oregon Supreme Court's decision that a § 1988 fees award is not available in this case creates a conflict in the courts over the award of fees when the underlying action is rendered unreviewable after it has been filed. The courts are in agreement that a § 1988 fees award is proper where the defendant "voluntarily" complies under threat of the lawsuit, for such compliance, although mooting the lawsuit, shows acquiescence in the plaintiff's position. E.g., Martin v. Heckler, 773 F.2d 1145, 1148-1149 (CA11 1985) (en banc); DeMier v. Gondles, 676 F.2d 92 (CA4 1982); see Hewitt v. Helms, 482 U.S. 755, 761, 107 S.Ct. 2672, 2676, 96 L.Ed.2d 654 (1987) (). The more difficult question presented by this case is whether a defendant's "involuntary" compliance with a seemingly valid court order supports an award of fees under § 1988, where such compliance, under fear of contempt, moots a lawsuit such as this one but does not demonstrate acquiescence in plaintiff's position. The decision here denying an award of fees under § 1988 conflicts with decisions from three Circuits upholding § 1988 fees awards in the...
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...held while the case is pending, Kay v. David Douglas Sch. Dist. No. 40, 303 Or. 574, 738 P.2d 1389 (1987), cert. den., 484 U.S. 1032, 108 S.Ct. 740, 98 L.Ed.2d 775 (1988); or when a political party challenges the state's interpretation of an election statute, but the case cannot be finally ......
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Society of Separationists, Inc. v. Whitehead
...79 Or.App. 384, 719 P.2d 875 (1986), rev'd on other grounds, 303 Or. 574, 738 P.2d 1389 (1987), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 1032, 108 S.Ct. 740, 98 L.Ed.2d 775 (1988), the Oregon Court of Appeals examined a religious invocation at a high school graduation under several provisions of the Oregon C......
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Barcik v. Kubiaczyk
...this case is analogous to Kay v. David Douglas Sch. Dist. No. 40, 303 Or. 574, 738 P.2d 1389 (1987), cert. den. 484 U.S. 1032, 108 S.Ct. 740, 98 L.Ed.2d 775 (1988). In Kay, the plaintiffs, four high school seniors, sought declaratory and injunctive relief against the inclusion of a formal p......
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Dahlem by Dahlem v. Board of Educ. of Denver Public Schools
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