The following excerpt is from Amato v. City of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 170 F.3d 311 (2nd Cir. 1999):
* As the majority opinion points out in another footnote, "nominal damages can be grounds for denying or reducing an attorney's fee award." See Majority Opinion at [page 317, note 5]; see also Farrar v. Hobby, 506 U.S. 103, 115, 113 S.Ct. 566, 575, 121 L.Ed.2d 494 (1992) ("When a plaintiff recovers only nominal damages because of his failure to prove an essential element of his claim for monetary relief, the only reasonable fee is usually no fee at all." (citation omitted)).
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.