Abdi Jama v. Esmor Correctional Services, Inc., No. 08-2500

In a dispute over damages and attorney's fees stemming from a Religious Freedom Restoration Act and tort action, district court judgment is vacated where that the district court assessment of the evidence was based on an improper interpretation of the interrogatories and verdict sheet and thus the court erred in attributing a portion of plaintiff's tort award to her RFRA claim. On remand, the Hensley standard should guide the district court's consideration of pendent state claims in a litigation where a plaintiff has prevailed on a fee-eligible federal claim.   

Read Abdi Jama v. Esmor Correctional Services, Inc., No. 08-2500

Appellate Information
Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Argued May 20, 2009
Filed August 12, 2009

Judges
Before RENDELL and GARTH, Circuit Judges, and VANASKIE, District Judge.
Opinion by RENDELL Circuit Judge.
Dissenting Opinion by GARTH, Circuit Judge.

Counsel
For Appellant: James C. Owens, Virginia A. Seitz, Frank R. Volpe, Rebecca K. Wood, Sidley Austin LLP.

For Appellee: Drew Dorman, Derek S. Tarson, Justin P. Smith, Mary Beth Hogan, Alison J. Page, W. Barton Patterson, Erica Davila, Debevoise & Plimpton; Penny Venetis, Rutgers University.