United States Fourth Circuit

A person who cannot show actual damages for a violation of the Privacy Act may still recover costs and reasonable attorney fees under the Act. An award of attorney's fees in an action under the Privacy Act for the wrongful disclosure of plaintiff's Social Security number is reversed where the district court abused its discretion in determining the reasonableness of the fee award.

Appellate Information

• Argued 10/25/2005
• Decided 01/24/2006
• Published 01/24/2006

Judges

• Before LUTTIG, WILLIAMS, and MICHAEL, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Anthony Alan Yang, United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Appellate Section, Washington, DC, for Appellant.   Terry Gene Kilgore, Wolfe, Williams & Rutherford, Norton, Virginia, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Peter D. Keisler, Assistant Attorney General, John L. Brownlee, United States Attorney, Michael Jay Singer, Appellate Staff, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Appellant.  Joseph E. Wolfe, Bobby Steve Belcher, Wolfe, Williams & Rutherford, Norton, Virginia, for Appellee.