Lackey v. Stinnie
U.S. Supreme Court · decided February 25, 2025 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Decided
- February 25, 2025
- Term
- October Term 2024
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority author
- Justice Roberts
- Issue area
- Attorneys
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Conservative
Opinion excerpt
(Slip Opinion) OCTOBER TERM, 2024 1 Syllabus NOTE: Where it is feasible, a syllabus (headnote) will be released, as is being done in connection with this case, at the time the opinion is issued. The syllabus constitutes no part of the opinion of the Court but has been prepared by the Reporter of Decisions for the convenience of the reader. See United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 U. S. 321, 337 . SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES Syllabus LACKEY, COMMISSIONER OF THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES v. STINNIE ET AL. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 23–621. Argued October 8, 2024—Decided February 25, 2025 Drivers whose licenses were suspended under a Virginia statute for fail- ure to pay court fines sued the Commissioner of the Virginia Depart- ment of Motor Vehicles under 42 U. S. C. §1983 , challenging the stat- ute as unconstitutional. The District Court granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Commissioner from enforcing the statute. Before trial, the Virginia General Assembly repealed the statute and required reinstatement of licenses suspended under the law. The par- ties then agreed to dismiss the pending case as moot. Section 1988(b) allows an award of attorney’s fees to “prevailing par- ties” under §1983. The District Court declined to award attorney’s fees to the drivers under that section on the…
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