The dry cleaners who successfully fought a $54 million lawsuit over a pair of pants withdrew their demand for more than $80,000 in attorney fees on Monday, saying they want to put the case behind them and return to their normal lives.

Custom Cleaners owners Jin Nam Chung and Soo Chung have raised nearly enough to pay for their expenses through donations at a cocktail fundraiser last month, according to a motion filed Monday in D.C. Superior Court. They no longer wish to prolong their legal battle with Roy Pearson, the D.C. administrative law judge who filed the suit that gained international ridicule.

The Chungs’ “lives have been devastated by this case and they want nothing more than to quietly return to running their dry cleaning business,” according to the motion.

The Chungs said the withdrawal was an “olive branch.” By withdrawing their demand for attorneys fees, they hope that Pearson will not appeal the judge’s verdict that found that Pearson never proved that the dry cleaners violated the spirit of their “Satisfaction Guaranteed” sign. Pearson has until Wednesday to file his notice of appeal.

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The Chungs also asked that the judge deny Pearson’s assertion that the dry cleaning owners pay his attorney fees.

Pearson might not have the money to pay the Chungs anyway. A commission last week told Pearson that his $100,000 job on the bench is in jeopardy.

smccabe@dcexaminer.com