S.D. Florida cuts commercial fee award 21.4%, including for block billing

What happened

Patrick J. Rengstl, P.A. sought $255,935 in attorneys' fees under a contract fee clause in a commercial case before Judge Aileen M. Cannon. The court awarded $201,122.50, a reduction of $54,812.50 or 21.4%. It imposed a 25% reduction in hours for block billing, vague entries, excessive hours, duplicative staffing, and clerical work billed as legal work. The figures do not include costs.

What the court said

the Court imposes a twenty-five percent reduction in hours totaling $201,122.50 in attorneys' fees

the Court imposes a twenty-five percent reduction in hours totaling $201,122.50 in attorneys' fees

the Court imposes a twenty-five percent reduction in hours totaling $201,122.50 in attorneys' fees

The court also reduced the award for: excessive hours, duplicative staffing.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that a single percentage cut can rest on several problems at once, including time-record defects such as block billing and vague entries alongside excessive hours and staffing. For fee applicants, it illustrates that courts may apply an aggregate reduction rather than parse each entry when multiple issues affect the records.

How to keep this out of your fee petition

• Record one task per entry, each with its own time.
• Write the entry when the work happens, not at the end of the week.
• If a task really is one unit of work, say what it was and what it produced.

Cite this ruling

See hourly rates the S.D. Florida approves and attorney fee motions in Florida 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.