D. Puerto Rico cuts fee award 9.8%, including for vague entries

What happened

The defendants, represented by Sueiro Law Offices, sought $8,800 in sanctions fees for 35.2 hours. Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach awarded $7,937.50 for 31.75 hours, a reduction of $862.50. The court reduced a subset of entries by 30%, totaling 3.45 hours, finding some hours excessive and some too generic or vague to assess whether the billed time was appropriate. The figures do not include costs.

What the court said

the Court concludes that some of the hours for which Defendants seek fees are excessive or are too generic or vague for the Court to assess whether the time billed was appropriate. The Court will reduce the following entries by 30 percent.

The court also reduced the award for: excessive hours.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that a fee applicant's time records must let the court assess whether each entry was appropriate. Entries that are too generic or vague, or that reflect excessive hours, can be cut even in a modest sanctions award, and the court may apply a percentage reduction to the affected entries.

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. Puerto Rico approves.

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.