Opinion ID: 68644
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Judgment of Costs

Text: Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(d)(1), costs, other than attorney’s fees, “should be allowed to the prevailing party,” unless an award of costs is otherwise prohibited. Title VII does not expressly forbid an award of costs, so “the standard procedure is to award costs to the prevailing party in Title VII suits.” Byers v. Dallas Morning News, Inc., 209 F.3d 419, 430 (5th Cir. 2000). Rule 54(d)(1) carries a strong presumption that the prevailing party will be awarded costs. Pacheco v. Mineta, 448 F.3d 783, 793 (5th Cir. 2006) (citation omitted). We review a judgment of costs for the prevailing party for abuse of discretion. Id. (citing Schwarz v. Folloder, 767 F.2d 125, 131 (5th Cir. 1985)). In the instant matter, the Postmaster General prevailed at trial on the age discrimination claim and four of five retaliation claims. The district court then set aside the jury verdict on the sole successful retaliation claim. Choate has offered no argument supporting her claim that the award of costs was an abuse of discretion except to complain of its “manifest unfairness and injustice.” Under 5 No. 08-10719 these circumstances, the district court did not abuse its discretion in awarding reasonable costs to the Postmaster General.