N.D. California cuts fee award 10%, including for vague entries

What happened

McDowell Hetherington, counsel for the fee applicant, requested $25,122.50 for 79.6 hours. The court awarded $22,610.25, a reduction of $2,512.25, or 10%. The court found some billed time excessive and the narrative for other entries deficient. It also found other billing entries so redacted that it could not ascertain their reasonableness. The 10% cut was applied to the total fee.

What the court said

Other billing entries are so redacted that the Court cannot possibly ascertain their reasonableness.

The court also reduced the award for: excessive hours.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that courts will reduce fee awards when time entries are too vague or heavily redacted to assess, and when billed hours appear excessive. It also shows that a single percentage cut can address both recordkeeping and excessiveness concerns.

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 N.D. California approves and attorney fee motions in California 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.