Opinion ID: 530048
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: attorneys' fees/sanctions

Text: 41 On cross-appeal, defendants argue that the district court erred in refusing to award them attorneys' fees or sanctions. We agree with the district court's decision on this issue. Although some of plaintiff's claims, such as his RICO claim, border on being frivolous, plaintiff has raised some complex issues, two of which (the equal protection claims under Sections 1983 and 1985) should not have been dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6). 42 In summary, we affirm the dismissal of plaintiff's claim under Section 1981, his claim of deprivation of a liberty or property interest and his First Amendment argument on appeal under Section 1983, his First Amendment claim under Section 1985, and his RICO claim. We also affirm the denial of sanctions. However, in light of our duty to construe plaintiff's complaint liberally at this stage of the proceedings, we reverse the dismissal of plaintiff's equal protection claims brought under Sections 1983 and 1985, although we do not intimate any views as to plaintiff's likelihood of ultimately succeeding in proving those claims. Because we do not affirm the dismissal of all of plaintiff's federal claims, the district court has jurisdiction, in its discretion, to hear plaintiff's pendent state claims. See United Mine Workers v. Gibbs, 383 U.S. 715, 725, 86 S.Ct. 1130, 1138, 16 L.Ed.2d 218 (1966). We therefore reverse the district court's dismissal of the state claims for lack of jurisdiction. 43 AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, and REMANDED for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.