District Court Case Study: Kansas City Missouri School District

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FACTS: The District Court found that Kansas City Missouri School District (KCMSD) and the State had operated a segregated school system, within KCMSD. The plaintiff class attorneys sought compensation under the Civil Rights Attorney’s Fees Awards Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. 1988. The District Court awarded fees based on Kansas City market rates, it used current rather than historic market rates to compensate for the delay in payment. Missouri appealed the ruling and the U.S. Court of Appeals judgment was affirmed. ISSUE: Should compensatory attorney’s fees be based on historic or current market rates? Should compensation for paralegals be based on market rates or their cost to the attorney? RULE: The Statue and legislative history under section

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