Blind county worker to get legal fees for jury win in bias suit

On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated an order from the United States District Court for the District of Maryland that held Yasmin Reyazuddin, who is blind, was not a “prevailing party” in her employment discrimination lawsuit against Montgomery County, Maryland. According to the District Court, Ms. Reyazuddin was not entitled to recover her reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs because she did not win “an enforceable judgment.”  The Fourth Circuit overruled and held that Ms. Reyazuddin is a “prevailing party because she proved her claim to a jury before the County capitulated by transferring her to [its new call center].” Ms. Reyazuddin will now be able to file a motion to recover her attorneys’ fees and expenses in a case that was filed in 2011 and has been to the Fourth Circuit three times.

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View the Bloomberg Law article here. 

View the Law 360 article here.