Opinion ID: 2998217
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Roger’s Lawsuit

Text: Roger was dissatisfied with Del Re’s new towing plan, believing that it had an adverse effect on his business. In April 1999, within weeks of receiving Del Re’s new plan, Roger and his company filed a two count complaint against Lake County and Del Re seeking damages and injunctive relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for alleged retaliation by Del Re for Roger’s support of Smith in the primary election. On April 7, 2000, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint adding Stryker, Del Re’s campaign committee, Crichton, and a host of Roger’s rival towing operators. The amended complaint also added various RICO and fraud claims. The plaintiffs later filed a second amended complaint further refining the RICO allegations and dropping several defendants. After several rounds of dismissals weeded out various parties and claims, the plaintiffs had remaining a handful of claims against a few defendants—most important for our purposes, two RICO counts against Del Re and Stryker and two retaliation claims brought under § 1983 against Del Re. In March 2004, the district court granted summary judgment in the defendants’ favor on all remaining counts. The defendants also filed a motion for attorneys’ fees pursuant Nos. 04-1978 & 05-1033 9 to 42 U.S.C. § 1988, which the district court granted. Roger appeals the grant of summary judgment in Del Re and Stryker’s favor, as well as the grant of attorneys’ fees.3