$1 verdict costing Seattle taxpayers for lawyers
Friday, July 1, 2011
SEATTLE (AP) -- A $1 jury verdict is costing Seattle taxpayers much, much more in lawyers' fees.
The law firm that represented a police officer in the case has billed the city $331,000, and defense lawyers are asking a judge to approve fees of another $419,000. If the judge approves the fees the total is $750,000.
The case involves a man who was detained too long by a Seattle police officer in 2007 after a traffic incident. He sued the city for excessive force and won, but the federal court jury awarded him only the minimum $1 in damages.
Lawyers for both sides say they put in hundreds of hours of work on the case and are entitled to their fees.
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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
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