D. Arizona cuts commercial fee award 16.4%, including for vague entries

What happened

Industrial Park Center LLC sought $237,160 in fees under a contract fee clause. The court awarded $198,234, a reduction of $38,926. It cut $35,010 for entries with vague descriptions and duplicative staffing, and $3,916 for sixteen entries with no description. The figures do not include costs.

What the court said

Industrial Park identified in Exhibit 1 of its sur-reply $35,010.00 from GNIC’s exhibits that include vague descriptions and duplicative entries.

Industrial Park also identified sixteen entries with no description that totaled $3,916.00 in fees.

The court also reduced the award for: duplicative staffing.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that courts will reduce fee awards when time entries lack enough detail to assess the work or when staffing appears duplicative. Entries with no description at all were also cut, underscoring that each billed entry needs to identify the task performed.

How to keep this out of your fee petition

• Name the task, the document or person involved, and the purpose.
• Avoid stock phrases that could describe any day in any matter.
• Keep privileged detail general, but specific enough to show the work.

Cite this ruling

See hourly rates the D. Arizona approves and attorney fee motions in Arizona federal courts.

Figures and quotes are taken from the opinion and checked against its text. Spot an error? Email team@legaltime.ai with the case name and we will correct it. Summaries of public court opinions. Not legal advice.