Supreme Court of the United States
Crst Van Expedited, Inc., Petitioner v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
May 19, 2016578 U.S. 419
Summary
The Supreme Court held that a Title VII defendant does not need a ruling on the merits to be considered a prevailing party for attorney‑fee purposes. The Court vacated the Eighth Circuit’s judgment and remanded for further proceedings consistent with this interpretation.
Holding
- Whether a Title VII defendant must obtain a ruling on the merits to be a "prevailing party" eligible for attorney’s fees.. A favorable ruling on the merits is not a necessary predicate to find that a defendant has prevailed; a defendant may be a prevailing party even when the court’s judgment is based on non‑merits grounds.
Docket 14–1375.
Cited authorities
- CA11
- Fed. R. Civ. P. 23
- 42 U.S.C. §1988
- 86 Stat. 103