Recoup of legal fees sought in Kim Davis case
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Attorneys for the couples in the Rowan County marriage license litigation Monday filed a motion seeking to recoup more than $200,000 in legal fees incurred in challenging County Clerk Kim Davis’s policy of refusing to issue marriage licenses.
In seeking the fees, ACLU of Kentucky Executive Director Michael Aldridge stated, “It is unfortunate that an elected official sought to use her office to withhold government services on the basis of her religious beliefs. And it is equally regrettable that the county may now have to pay for her misuse of that office and her refusal to comply with the court’s orders.”
In explaining why fees are appropriate in this case, ACLU of Kentucky Legal Director William Sharp stated, “Courts recognize that when successful civil rights plaintiffs obtain a direct benefit from a court-ordered victory, such as in this case, they can be entitled to their legal expenses to deter future civil rights violations by government officials.”
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He added, “By filing today’s motion, we hope to achieve that very objective — to send a message to government officials that willful violations of individuals’ rights will be costly.”
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