E.D. New York cuts sanctions fee award 65.9%, including for vague entries

What happened

Plaintiffs sought $183,393.61 in sanctions fees for 330.75 hours. The court awarded $62,509, a reduction of $120,884.61 or 65.9%. It lowered the hourly rates because background information was missing for numerous timekeepers and the rates sought were at the top of or above the district range. It then cut total hours by 50% for work on unrelated claims, and by 50% for billing records it found vague, duplicative and overstaffed.

What the court said

the Court finds a large portion of Plaintiffs' counsel's billing records to be vague, duplicative, and overstaffed, warranting a reduction

The court also reduced the award for: hourly rate reduced, unrelated claims, duplicative staffing.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that a fee petition can lose most of its value even when sanctions are granted, because courts will trim rates for thin timekeeper information and cut hours for entries that do not tie work to the sanctioned issues or that do not describe the task clearly.

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 E.D. New York approves and attorney fee motions in New York 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.