Opinion ID: 722476
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Prejudicial Effect of the District Court's

Text: Injunction on the Damages Period 37 The County asks us in the event that we affirm the district court on the ratemaking issue but reverse on the injunction, which we have done, to remand for the district court to consider the prejudicial effect, if any, of the injunction on the damages award. The County argues that A-1 requested the injunction and that any injuries that resulted from it were A-1's fault. Had the RFP not been enjoined, the court might have held that the RFP's rate setting provisions complied with constitutional limitations on ratemaking and limited the damages period to the time before the contracts under the RFP would have commenced. Therefore, A-1 and not the County should bear the costs of the improperly granted injunction. 38 A-1, of course, believes differently. It argues that the County could have changed its Uniform Rates even with the injunction. And in any event, A-1 claims it would have succeeded in obtaining the injunction on different grounds had the district court not originally ruled in its favor. 39 These might-have-held could-have-changed would-have-succeeded arguments can be addressed most appropriately by the district court. We realize that by remanding the issue of the prejudicial effect of the improperly granted injunction, we are directing the district court to decide the legality of the RFP in hypothetical circumstances. However, the district court is in a better position than we are to answer these questions and to determine in the light of our opinion what the appropriate period for measuring damages should be. 40