Sokolow v. County of San Mateo

Sokolow (plaintiff) sued San Mateo County and its exclusively male Mounted Patrol (defendants) for sex discrimination after being repeatedly denied membership; she won summary judgment forcing the county to choose between ending the Patrol's male-only policy or ending its official relationship with the Patrol, and the Patrol chose to sever ties with the county rather than admit women. Sokolow, whose preferred remedy had been an order requiring her own admission, sought attorney's fees under federal and California civil-rights fee-shifting statutes, but the trial court found she was not a prevailing party and denied fees.