Attribute docstrings, as defined in PEP-257 are strings immediately following top level module names. For example:

name = "my variable"
"""the name used by the module for x, y, and z"""

The check-docstring-first incorrectly identifies this attribute docstring as a module docstring, indicating either Multiple module docstrings (first docstring on line N). or Module docstring appears after code (code seen on line N)..

In light of this issue, I'm not sure the check-docstring-first check has much value at all. At the very least, the check should not be failing when a docstring follows an assignment.