Tab from Acosta lawsuit: $522,861.88

Costa Mesa spent more than $500,000 to defend itself in the civil lawsuit by activist Benito Acosta.

The city spent $522,861.34 on the civil case through November, said City Atty. Kimberly Hall Barlow.

The city spent $40,425.88 to pursue criminal charges against Acosta after he filed suit in 2006.

It is unlikely that the city will attempt to recoup the money from Acosta, Barlow said.

Acosta lost his federal suit this week when a jury found that the city did not abridge his 1st Amendment rights at a City Council meeting in January 2006, where he was arrested and not allowed to complete his three minutes of public comment time.

— Mona Shadia