E.D. Texas cuts intellectual property fee award, including for vague entries

What happened

The fee applicant in an intellectual property case sought attorney fees, but the court did not state the amounts requested or awarded. The court applied three across-the-board reductions to the total fee: 10% for incomplete entries, 5% for large billing increments, and 30% for block-billed entries. The court concluded each reduction was necessary to account for the respective issue in the time records.

What the court said

On this basis, the Court concludes that an across-the-board reduction of 10% is necessary to account for the incomplete entries.

Thus, the Court concludes that a significant across-the-board reduction of 30% adequately accounts for the block-billed entries.

The court also reduced the award for: excessive hours.

Why it matters

The ruling shows courts will reduce fee awards across the board when time entries are incomplete, block-billed, or recorded in large increments, even without item-by-item analysis. It signals that the clarity and granularity of time records directly affect the amount recovered on a fee petition.

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. Texas approves and attorney fee motions in Texas 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.