Opinion ID: 776475
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bernhardt's Complaint.

Text: 4 In this case, Bernhardt sought to pick up where Evans and Willard left off. Bernhardt alleged that the County of Los Angeles and county counsel Lloyd W. Pellman (collectively, the County) have, since 1978, had a custom, practice and policy to offer or accept settlements in federal civil rights cases only for a lump sum, including all attorney's fees. Bernhardt alleged that the policy had deprived her of her implied federal statutory right under 42 U.S.C. Section 1988 to contract with an attorney for representation in exchange for an assignment to the attorney of the right to seek statutory attorney fees. The County's policy, she alleged, violates the Supremacy Clause by implicitly repealing § 1988. See U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. 2. She sought declaratory and injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages and attorney fees and costs. 5 Bernhardt more specifically alleged the County's policy deprived her of the opportunity to obtain a civil rights lawyer to represent her in a separate § 1983 action against County law enforcement officials for use of excessive force (the underlying action). Between October 1998 and January 1999, she said, she contacted eight attorneys or law firms to represent her. None of the attorneys took her case, even though some commented positively about the merits of her claims. One of the attorneys allegedly told Bernhardt that it was the County's lump sum settlement policy that precluded him from representing her. Bernhardt ultimately filed the underlying action in pro per, the case was dismissed and Bernhardt appealed. Bernhardt's complaint alleged that she would be able to obtain a lawyer in the appeal of the underlying action if she obtained injunctive or declaratory relief in the instant action. Subsequent to the dismissal of the instant action, we dismissed the appeal in Bernhardt's underlying action. Thus, the underlying action is no longer pending.