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BEFORE PETITIONER INMATE’S ARTICLE 78 PETITION WAS CONSIDERED RESPONDENT VOLUNTARILY REVERSED THE GUILTY FINDINGS ON THE PRISON DISCIPLINARY VIOLATIONS; PETITIONER WAS NOT ENTITLED TO ATTORNEY’S FEES PURSUANT TO THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT UNDER THE “CATALYST THEORY” (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined petitioner inmate was not entitled to attorney’s fees as a prevailing party pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act [EAJA] (CPLR Article 86). Petitioner contested guilty findings on several prison disciplinary violations and brought an Article 78 proceeding. Before the Article 78 petition was considered the respondent reversed the disposition and expunged it from petitioner’s prison record. Petitioner then sought attorney’s fees as the prevailing party:

Petitioner contends that he is entitled to counsel fees because he prevailed in the litigation under the “catalyst theory.” [The catalyst theory posits that a petitioner is a prevailing party if the desired result is achieved because the proceeding brought about the voluntary change in the respondent’s conduct … .] * * *

Although this Court has not decided whether it will adopt the catalyst theory in EAJA cases, when this Court has been asked to adopt the catalyst theory in other counsel fee award cases, it has declined to do so as the “United States Supreme Court has clearly held that a voluntary resolution of a matter lacks the necessary judicial imprimatur to warrant an award of [counsel] fees” … . … [T]he Court of Appeals specifically agreed … . The same reasoning applies here. The change in the legal relationship was accomplished prior to answering the petition, was based on the voluntary actions of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and was “not enforced by a consent decree or judgment of Supreme Court” … . Matter of Clarke v Annucci, 2021 NY Slip Op 00473, Third Dept 1-28-21

 

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