No. 24-1081

Saundra Rhodes v. Jessica Gifford

Lower Court: Fourth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-04-16
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: 42-usc-1988 attorney-fees frcp-54d nominal-verdict rimini-street-precedent taxable-costs
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity Patent EmploymentDiscrimina Privacy JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2025-05-29
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Did the circuit court err in affirming an award of attorney's fees in excess of $800,000 where the Appellee received only a nominal verdict of one dollar and no punitive damages and no declaratory or injunctive relief in a case that has zero impact on the legal landscape?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

1. Did the circuit court err in affirming an award of attorney’s fees in excess of $800,000 where the Appellee received only a nominal verdict of onedollar and no punitive damages and no declaratory or injunctive relief in a case that has zero impact on the legal landscape? 2. Did the circuit court err in affirming an award of costs under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 in excess of those taxable costs recoverable under 28 U.S.C. § 1920 and Rule 54(d), FRCP, which is directly contrary to the “clear rule” announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 in Rimini Street, Inc. v. Oracle USA, Inc., 139 8.Ct. 873 (2019)? i QUESTIONS PRESENTED FOR REVIEW 1. Did the circuit court err in affirming an award of attorney’s fees in excess of $800,000 where the Appellee received only a nominal verdict of one dollar and no punitive damages and no declaratory or injunctive relief in a case that has zero impact on the legal landscape? 2. Did the circuit court err in affirming an award of costs under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 in excess of those taxable costs recoverable under 28 U.S.C. § 1920 and Rule 54(d), FRCP, which is directly contrary to the “clear rule” announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 in Rimini Street, Inc. v. Oracle USA, Inc ., 139 S.Ct. 873 (2019)?

Docket Entries

2025-06-02
Petition DENIED.
2025-05-13
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/29/2025.
2025-04-23
Waiver of right of respondent Jessica Gifford to respond filed.
2025-04-14
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 16, 2025)

Attorneys

Jessica Gifford
Scott C. EvansEvans Moore, LLC, Respondent
Scott C. EvansEvans Moore, LLC, Respondent
Saundra Rhodes
Andrew Frederick LindemannLindemann Law Firm, P.A., Petitioner
Andrew Frederick LindemannLindemann Law Firm, P.A., Petitioner