UNREPORTED - NOT PRECEDENTIAL

                THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                      FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

                           ___________

                           No. 99-1598
                           ___________

                        TRYONE A. CHARLES

                                v.

        TINA D'ANGELO, INC., d/b/a TINA'S BRIDAL BOUTIQUE;
              LEE WYCOFF, EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF 
            TINA D'ANGELO-WYCOFF, DECEASED; LEE WYCOFF

                                    Appellants.
                           ___________

         ON APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
             FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

                   (D.C. Civil No. 97-cv-04113)
          District Judge:  The Honorable James T. Giles
                           ___________

            Submitted Under Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a)
                         JANUARY 22, 2002

         BEFORE: NYGAARD and STAPLETON,  Circuit Judges,
                   and CAPUTO, District Judge.


  (Filed                                                       )

                           ___________

                 MEMORANDUM OPINION OF THE COURT
                           ___________


NYGAARD, Circuit Judge.
         Tyrone A. Charles filed a complaint against appellants contending that they
breached, or illegally ended, a contract with him because of his race.  He is African-
American.  A jury returned a verdict in favor of appellants and against Charles. 
Appellants filed a petition to amend the judgment to add an award of attorney's fees
pursuant to 42 U.S.C.  1988.  The District Court denied their petition.  We review this
denial for an abuse of discretion.  Finding none, we will affirm.
         The Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C.  1988,
permits the court to award attorney's fees to the "prevailing party" in suits brought under
the federal civil rights statutes.  The district courts have been given discretion to decide
whether, in their judgment, a plaintiff's claim was frivolous or groundless.  In this matter,
the District Court compared the "thrust of the plaintiff's contention" with the evidence he
adduced at trial, and concluded that attorney's fees were not indicated.  We believe the
decision was within the Court's discretion, see no abuse, and will affirm.





TO THE CLERK:

         Please file the foregoing opinion.




                               Richard L. Nygaard
                                  Circuit Judge