Lawyers representing the state of Arizona in a lawsuit challenging the quality of health care in its prisons want a judge to reject a request from opposing attorneys for $1.6 million in additional legal fees.
The state has already spent $15 million in the lawsuit, including $8.8 million for the attorneys defending prison officials and $5.7 million for lawyers who pressed the civil case against the state.
An additional $1.2 million was awarded to inmates' attorneys for their efforts through July 2017 in enforcing a settlement in the case, but the amount hasn't yet been paid because the state is appealing the decision.
Lawyers for the prisoners say the latest request for $1.6 million covers their enforcement efforts for the one-year period ending on June 30.
