Plaintiffs have brought this action under 42 U.S.C. §1983 against defendant Marlene Springer, alleging violations of their First Amendment rights. Upon remand from the Second Circuit, defendant moves pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 55 and 58 for entry of judgment against herself awarding plaintiffs nominal damages.
After defendant, the president of the College of Staten Island (“CSI”), nullified and rescheduled a 1997 CSI student government election in reaction to a student newspaper’s allegedly inappropriate endorsement of a slate of candidates, some members of the newspaper staff and other students brought this case against defendant and a number of other individuals associated with CSI.1 Plaintiffs originally sought declaratory and injunctive relief as well as nominal, compensatory, and punitive damages and attorney’s fees.
