Opinion ID: 902845
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Damages, Fees and Injunctive Relief

Text: In January 2011, in advance of the damages trial, the district court ruled that Joyce could recover attorney's fees under both federal and state law. The court delayed setting an amount until after the damages verdict, however, because it viewed the degree of success obtained as [a] major factor in determining a reasonable fee. Joyce v. Town of Dennis, 770 F. Supp. 2d 424, 427 (D. Mass. 2011). At the same time, the court rejected Joyce's request that the jury be instructed on punitive damages. The court principles in asserting that, because Dennis Pines did not allow the public to use the golf course during members-only tournament weekends, and tournament participants had to meet certain qualifications, the golf tournaments thus were not a place of 'public accommodation.' Id. at 10-11; see also id. at 11 ([D]uring such tournaments, the golf course was not a place of public accommodation.). Given these arguments, the court's ruling surely constitutes precedent for the general proposition that, absent some reason for an exception, tournaments at public golf courses are public accommodations. -15- explained that an instruction on punitive damages would be inappropriate because there is no evidence of 'evil motive or intent' or awareness of a risk that the [golf course] rules were in violation of federal law. Id. at 428. In February 2011, the defendants offered Joyce a settlement of $35,001, inclusive of costs and attorney's fees. She did not respond, and a jury subsequently awarded her $15,000 in compensatory damages.14 Following the verdict, Joyce requested more than $170,000 in attorney's fees and costs under state law, see Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 151B, § 9, as well as an injunction ordering the defendants, inter alia, to adopt a policy barring gender-based discrimination. In a ruling issued on June 30, 2011, the district court awarded $30,000 in attorney's fees, and $4,600 in costs. The court denied injunctive relief. On attorney's fees, the district court endorsed the defendants' contention that any award of fees would be unjust in the circumstances of the case, but it nonetheless concluded that Joyce was entitled to modest fees as the prevailing party. Joyce v. Town of Dennis, 802 F. Supp. 2d 285, 288 (D. Mass. 2011). Among the factors cited by the court to support the sharply reduced award was the rejection of what the court considered a reasonable settlement offer. Although the court acknowledged that the 14 After both sides presented their evidence, the court declined to change its ruling on punitive damages. -16- defendants shared the blame for prolonging the case, it considered Joyce and her counsel as primarily responsible for the length of the proceedings. The court thus found it fair and reasonable to substantially reduce plaintiff's requested fee award. Id. at 291. On appeal, Joyce challenges the district court's attorney's fee award and also claims error in the court's handling of punitive damages and injunctive relief.15 The defendants filed a cross-appeal asserting that the court erred in awarding any attorney's fees.