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Joseph v. Ruffo

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
Mar 26, 1985
478 N.E.2d 179 (N.Y. 1985)

Opinion

Argued February 13, 1985

Decided March 26, 1985

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Broome County, Richard F. Kuhnen, J.

Ronald R. Benjamin for appellant.

John E. Murray, County Attorney ( Alfred Paniccia, Jr., of counsel), for respondent.



MEMORANDUM.

The judgment appealed from and the order of the Appellate Division brought up for review should be affirmed, with costs, for reasons stated in the memorandum decision of the Appellate Division ( 101 A.D.2d 664).

We would but add that insofar as the decision of the Appellate Division may be interpreted to suggest that plaintiff's award for attorneys' fees should be reduced because he did not succeed on his Federal claim, such a ruling would be erroneous. The decision in Hensley v Eckerhart ( 461 U.S. 424, 435) makes it clear that under the circumstances presented here the proper inquiry is the extent of relief obtained and not the legal grounds upon which it was granted.

Chief Judge WACHTLER and Judges JASEN, MEYER, SIMONS, KAYE and ALEXANDER concur.

Judgment appealed from and order of the Appellate Division brought up for review affirmed, with costs, in a memorandum.


Summaries of

Joseph v. Ruffo

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
Mar 26, 1985
478 N.E.2d 179 (N.Y. 1985)
Case details for

Joseph v. Ruffo

Case Details

Full title:CHARLES JOSEPH, Appellant, v. ANTHONY RUFFO, as Broome County Sheriff…

Court:Court of Appeals of the State of New York

Date published: Mar 26, 1985

Citations

478 N.E.2d 179 (N.Y. 1985)
478 N.E.2d 179
489 N.Y.S.2d 38

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