Court Opinion

ID: 9470512
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 03:07:57.975694+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:41:56.472203
License: Public Domain

REAVLEY, Circuit Judge,
with whom RANDALL and GARWOOD, Circuit Judges, join, dissenting:
I agree with the majority holding that a condemnee may obtain his attorney fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act if the position of the government was not substantially justified and the condemnee is the prevailing party, i.e., if he recovers by the lawsuit compensation for the condemned interest in land greater than the amount which was offered or deposited by the government. The earlier statute, 42 U.S.C. § 4654, does not specifically provide otherwise. I find no inconsistency between the two statutes. The earlier statute authorizes cost reimbursement if the United States abandons the proceeding, which initiation and discontinuation may or may not be substantially justified, or if the government is denied the acquisition by final judgment (which, again, may or may not have been after substantially justified decisions on part of the government).
Nevertheless, I agree with Part I of Judge Rubin’s dissent. The condemnee must prevail on the entire lawsuit to be entitled to attorney fees under my reading of the Equal Access to Justice Act. The landowner here has only sought fees for successfully resisting the government’s appeal. Finding no statutory basis for that award, I would deny it.