Romberg v. Nichols

970 F.2d 512 Michael ROMBERG; Debra Romberg, Plaintiffs-Appellees-Cross-Appellants, v. Robert NICHOLS; Dennis Lazzari; Hugh Lloyd; Johnny Jurtado; Thomas Laing; Diane Hannon; R.D. Campbell, Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees. Nos. 90-56125, 91-55012. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted May 14, 1991. Decided Jan. 13, 1992. As Amended on Denial of Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc July 7, 1992. Stephen Yagman, Yagman and Yagman, Venice, Cal., for plaintiffs-appellees-cross-appellants. Keith A. Fink, Cotkin, Collins & Franscell, Los Angeles, Cal., for defendants-appellants-cross-appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Before: WALLACE, Chief Judge, THOMPSON and O'SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: 1 A jury awarded the Rombergs nominal damages of one dollar each in their civil rights action against six Los Angeles police officers. The question before us now is whether that victory is too insignificant to deem the Rombergs a "prevailing party" for purposes of recovering attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 , in light of the Supreme Court's intervening decision in Texas State Teachers…