Opinion ID: 3052889
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Post-Operation Litigation

Text: The Rodriguez family sued the United States and the INS officers. The government successfully narrowed the claims against the individual defendants prior to filing for summary judgment, and the district court granted, in part, the government’s motion for partial summary judgment dismissing certain claims against the four officers and the United States. The court held a bench trial on the FTCA claims, and the United States asserted, among other defenses, that the officers were privileged to enter the home, that they obtained consent to enter, and that the members of the Rodriguez family were contributorily negligent based on their actions when the officers arrived. The district court entered judgment against the United States and in favor of the Rodriguez family, awarding the family a total of $230,000 in damages. The Rodriguez family filed a motion for attorney fees under the EAJA. The district court first concluded that the 12296 RODRIGUEZ v. UNITED STATES government’s argument that the officers’ entry was privileged because they had reasonable suspicion to believe that Rodriguez-Wence would be at the Rodriguez family’s home was reckless and frivolous. The district court similarly found that the government’s argument that the officers had consent to enter the home was likewise reckless and frivolous. Finally, the district court concluded that the government’s prelitigation conduct was also in bad faith.2 The court awarded the Rodriguez family a total of $917,684.82 in attorney fees. JURISDICTION AND STANDARD OF REVIEW We have jurisdiction to review a district court’s award of attorney fees under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we review a district court’s decision regarding the amount of an award of fees under the EAJA for abuse of discretion. Brown v. Sullivan, 916 F.2d 492, 495 (9th Cir. 1990). We review a district court’s finding regarding a party’s bad faith for clear error. Cazares v. Barber, 959 F.2d 753, 754 (9th Cir. 1992); Brown, 916 F.2d at 495.