461 U.S. 424 (1983) Cited 22,236 times 7 Legal Analyses
Holding a civil-rights plaintiff can recover attorney's fees for claims that "involve a common core of facts or will be based on related legal theories," even if only one of those claims arises under a fee-shifting statute
Holding that where party seeks attorney's fees pursuant to fee-shifting statute, "no fee award is permissible until the [party] has crossed the statutory threshold of prevailing party status" (internal quotation marked omitted)
422 U.S. 405 (1975) Cited 2,636 times 6 Legal Analyses
Holding that an employment policy cannot stand if another policy, "without a similarly undesirable racial effect, would also serve the employer's legitimate interest"
482 U.S. 755 (1987) Cited 856 times 2 Legal Analyses
Holding that where a plaintiff received no damages award, injunction or declaratory judgment, or formal judgment in plaintiff's favor, but the defendant unilaterally altered the policies of which he complained, the plaintiff could not be said to be a prevailing party
Holding that entry of a declaratory judgment after a case had become moot does not constitute "relief" for purposes of attorneys fees under § 1988 because it does not "affect the behavior of the defendant toward the plaintiff"
Holding that, in assessing elevated risk to an employee under the Rehabilitation Act, the employer must "gather [and assess] all relevant information regarding the applicant's work history and medical history"