Sec. 4. In any action brought against a governmental entity under civil rights laws of the United States, the court may allow attorney’s fees as part of the costs to the governmental entity prevailing as defendant if it finds that plaintiff:
(1) brought the action on a claim that is frivolous, unreasonable, or groundless;
(2) continued to litigate the action after plaintiff’s claim clearly became frivolous, unreasonable, or groundless; or
(3) litigated its action in bad faith.
This award of fees does not prevent a governmental entity from bringing an action against the plaintiff for abuse of process arising in whole or in part on the same facts, but the defendant may not recover attorney’s fees twice.
[Pre-1998 Recodification Citation: 34-4-16.7-4.]As added by P.L.1-1998, SEC.8.