{"id":9771,"date":"2017-11-27T18:32:08","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T18:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=9771"},"modified":"2018-02-22T02:03:40","modified_gmt":"2018-02-22T02:03:40","slug":"private-attorney-general","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=9771","title":{"rendered":"Private Attorney General’s Act – enables private attorneys who bring lawsuits in the public interest to collect attorney’s fees"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This page is continued from Getting Started<\/a> >>>> Representing Yourself \u201cPro Se\u201d and Assisting Others as a Non-Lawyer<\/a> >>>> Lawyer? Attorney? Counselor? What\u2019s the Difference?<\/em><\/a> >>>> Attorney<\/a> >>>> Private Attorney<\/a>:<\/span>
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\u00a0 \u00a0In the United States,\u00a0a private attorney general\u00a0is an informal term for a private attorney<\/a> who brings a<\/span>\u00a0lawsuit<\/a>\u00a0considered to be in the\u00a0<\/span>public interest<\/a>, i.e., benefiting the general public and not just the\u00a0<\/span>plaintiff<\/a>, on behalf of a citizen or group of citizens. <\/span><\/span><\/strong>[1] [2]\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The attorney may, at the equitable discretion of the court, be entitled to recover<\/span>\u00a0attorney’s fees<\/a>\u00a0if he or she prevails. The rationale behind this principle is to provide extra incentive to private attorneys<\/a> to pursue suits that may be of benefit to society at large.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>[3]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

private-attorney general doctrine<\/span>:<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\n (1966)<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The equitable principle that allows the recovery of attorney’s fees to a<\/span> party<\/a> who brings a lawsuit that benefits a significant number of people, requires private enforcement, and is important to society as a whole.<\/span><\/strong> [4]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Many<\/span>\u00a0civil rights\u00a0statutes<\/a> rely on private attorneys general for their enforcement.\u00a0In<\/span>\u00a0Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/strong>[3]\u00a0<\/span>one of the earliest cases construing the<\/span>\u00a0Civil Rights Act of 1964<\/a>, the<\/span>\u00a0United States Supreme Court<\/a>\u00a0ruled that “<\/span>A public accommodations suit is thus private in form only.\u00a0 When a plaintiff brings an action . . . he cannot recover<\/span>\u00a0damages<\/a>.\u00a0 If he obtains an<\/span>\u00a0injunction<\/a>, he does so not for himself alone but also as a ‘private attorney general.”\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc.<\/em>, 390 U.S. 400 (1968)<\/a>\u00a0– one who succeeds in obtaining an injunction under Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 should ordinarily recover an attorney’s fee under \u00a7 204(b).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The\u00a0<\/span>United States Congress<\/a>\u00a0has also passed laws with “private attorney general” provisions that provide for the enforcement of laws prohibiting\u00a0<\/span>employment discrimination<\/a>,\u00a0police brutality<\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>water pollution<\/a>. Under the<\/span>\u00a0Clean Water Act<\/a>, for example, “any citizen” may bring suit against an individual or a company that is a source of<\/span>\u00a0water pollution<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Another example of the “private attorney general” provisions is the<\/span>\u00a0Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act<\/a>\u00a0(RICO). RICO allows average citizens (private attorneys general) to sue those organizations that commit mail and wire fraud as part of their criminal enterprise.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The U.S. Congress codified the private attorney general principle into law with the enactment of<\/span>\u00a0Civil Rights Attorney’s Fees Award Act of 1976<\/a>:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

42 U.S.C. \u00a7 1988. Proceedings in vindication of civil rights<\/span><\/a> – allows the prevailing party to receive a reasonable attorney’s fee as part of the costs, in certain cases.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

References:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Disclaimer:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> All material throughout this website is pertinent to people everywhere, and is being utilized in accordance with Fair Use<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

[1]:\u00a0The earliest known use by a court in the United States is by Judge Frank in\u00a0Associated Industries of New York State, Inc. v. Ickes<\/i>, 134 F.2d 694 (2d Cir. 1943).<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

[2]:\u00a0Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc.<\/a><\/i>,\u00a0390<\/a>\u00a0U.S.<\/a>\u00a0400, 402<\/a>\u00a0(1968)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

[3]:\u00a0Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc.<\/a><\/i>,\u00a0390<\/a>\u00a0U.S.<\/a>\u00a0400<\/a>\u00a0(1968) 88 S.Ct. 964, 19 L.Ed.2d 1263.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

[4]: Black\u2019s Law Dictionary\u00a0Deluxe Tenth Edition\u00a0by Henry Campbell Black & Editor in Chief Bryan A. Garner<\/a>. ISBN: 978-0-314-62130-6<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

[6]:\u00a0\u00a0Ballantine’s Law Dictionary <\/a><\/span>Legal Assistant Edition<\/span><\/a><\/em>
\nby Jack Ballantine\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>(James Arthur 1871-1949).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Doctored<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/em>by\u00a0Jack G. Handler,\u00a0J.D.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a9 1994 Delmar by Thomson Learning.\u00a0 ISBN 0-8273-4874-6.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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