California Capitol Weekly: 

Upon resolution of the case, the Lawyers Committee requested legal fees of $1.1 million, which, as the successful plaintiff in a case brought under the California Voting Rights Act, means the defendants pay the costs.

"You never want to see a waste of anything, but public school funds of this size being spent on this kind of litigation - against the backdrop of financial hardship we're all facing - is very difficult," said Geri Kendall Cox, chief business and administrative services officer for the Madera County Office of Education.

A superior court judge released the county office and the registrar of voters from being responsible for the legal fees, which he said, were excessive.