Source: https://openjurist.org/664/f2d/410/hymes-v-harnett-county-board-of-education
Timestamp: 2017-09-25 12:29:40
Document Index: 197346376

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1988', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1985', '§ 1983', '§ 2000', '§ 1983', '§ 1242', '§ 1988', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1988', '§ 1988', '§ 1415', '§ 1415']

664 F2d 410 Hymes v. Harnett County Board of Education | OpenJurist
664 F. 2d 410 - Hymes v. Harnett County Board of Education
664 F2d 410 Hymes v. Harnett County Board of Education
664 F.2d 410
Agrippa HYMES, by his next friend and guardian ad litem,
Eunice Hymes, Appellant,
HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, Appellee.
Argued July 14, 1981.
1. Without giving the matter exhaustive attention, we can assume that the EAHCA does not itself provide for an allowance of attorney's fees to a prevailing party. The district judge so ruled, relying on Hines v. Pitt County Board of Education, 497 F.Supp. 403, 409 (E.D.N.C.1980), appeal dismissed by agreement of counsel, 80-1676 (4th Cir. 1981), and Anderson v. Thompson, 495 F.Supp. 1256, 1268 (E.D.Wis.1980). Neither party has advanced any argument that the district court erred in its determination.
2. Despite the absence of any provision for an award of attorney's fees in the EAHCA, nevertheless, if, under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the EAHCA was within the term "and laws" in that remedial statute's grant of redress for "deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws," an award to the prevailing party of reasonable attorney's fees would be governed by 42 U.S.C. § 1988. Maine v. Thiboutot, 448 U.S. 1, 100 S.Ct. 2502, 65 L.Ed.2d 555 (1980).
3. In many cases the award would be available if the statute sued under was within the § 1983 term "and laws," even where relief actually had been obtained under some other pendent non-fee claim. Maher v. Gagne, 448 U.S. 122, 132-33 n.15, 100 S.Ct. 2570, 2576 n.15, 65 L.Ed.2d 653 (1980).
4. However, a federal statute will not be deemed to fall within the term "and laws" in § 1983 "where the governing statute provides an exclusive remedy for violations of its terms." Justice Powell dissenting in Maine v. Thiboutot, 448 U.S. at 22, n.11, 100 S.Ct. at 2507, n.11.
5. Where a federal statute affords "detailed and specific provisions of the law" governing the remedies available and creates "a detailed administrative and judicial process designed to provide an opportunity for nonjudicial and nonadversary resolution of claims," it does not fall within the term "and laws" in § 1983. Accord Great American Federal Savings & Loan Association v. Novotny, 442 U.S. 366, 372-73, 375-76, 99 S.Ct. 2345, 2349-50, 2350-51, 60 L.Ed.2d 957 (1979). Novotny decided that the closely analogous 42 U.S.C. § 1985(c), like § 1983 purely remedial and nonsubstantive-see Chapman v. Houston Welfare Rights Organization, 441 U.S. 600, 617-18, 99 S.Ct. 1905, 1915-16, 60 L.Ed.2d 508 (1979)-does not afford a remedial framework for a case seeking enforcement of or compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. Title VII, it was held, established the exclusive remedy for matters arising under it.
The rationale has been extended to preclude § 1983 relief in a case asserting violation of the federal Revenue Sharing Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 1242, 1244. Meyerson v. State of Arizona, 507 F.Supp. 859, 864 (D.Ariz.1981).
Our review satisfies us that the learned and able district judge correctly cut the Gordian Knot, when he decided that § 1988 would be available to the extent jurisdiction to obtain relief under § 1983 was available, but no more.4 The sole § 1983 relief was the accomplishment of return to the classroom placement, pending a due process hearing. For the relief achievable through the EAHCA administrative procedures, no applicable statute calls for an award of counsel fees, and, consequently, none may be allowed. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. v. Wilderness Society, 421 U.S. 240, 95 S.Ct. 1612, 44 L.Ed.2d 141 (1975).
Judge Dupree, although he correctly ascertained the services for which, under § 1988, an attorney's fee properly could be awarded, did neglect to include any allowance for the time spent, in the district court and here on appeal, to defend the entitlement and to argue the amount. In that, he erred.5 To that extent we remand, in order that such an additional allowance may be considered for services in the district court and here under the rules applicable to § 1988. Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc., 390 U.S. 400, 402, 88 S.Ct. 964, 966, 19 L.Ed.2d 1263 (1968) (A prevailing party "should ordinarily recover an attorney's fee unless special circumstances would render such an award unjust"); cf. Christiansburg Garment Co. v. EEOC, 434 U.S. 412, 416-17, 98 S.Ct. 694, 697-98, 54 L.Ed.2d 648 (1978).
If the current educational placement at that time had remained the normal classroom program, EAHCA appears to mandate that the child should have been allowed to remain in the program pending the outcome of state or local administrative proceedings. 20 U.S.C. § 1415(e)(3). Yet the EAHCA provides no jurisdictional basis for a suit to enforce the right to remain in statu quo prior to completion of the administrative process. 20 U.S.C. § 1415(e)(2) limits the jurisdictional provisions of EAHCA to actions of any party aggrieved by the findings and decision in an administrative hearing conducted by the state or local educational agency. Obviously, no such findings and decision were extant at the time the reinstatement relief was sought in federal court and gained through a negotiated settlement between the parties