W.D. Wisconsin cuts intellectual property fee award 1.3% over vague entries | LegalTime AI

W.D. Wisconsin cuts intellectual property fee award 1.3% over vague entries

SSI Technologies, LLC v. Dongguan Zhengyang Electronic Mechanical LTD, No. 3:20-cv-00019. District Court, W.D. Wisconsin, Judge James D. Peterson. Decided . Read the opinion

Requested
$2,638,752.39
Awarded
$2,603,725.49
Cut
1.3%$35,026.90

Intellectual property · 35 U.S.C. § 285

What happened

SSI Technologies sought $2,638,752.39 in attorney fees under 35 U.S.C. § 285. The court awarded $2,603,725.49, a reduction of $35,026.90, or 1.3%. The court found that redactions in the challenged time entries made it impossible to determine whether the time billed in those entries was reasonable, and reduced the award by that amount. The figures do not include costs.

What the court said

Vague entries · $35,026.90
The redactions in the challenged entries make it impossible for the court to determine whether the time billed in those entries was reasonable, so the court will reduce SSI's attorney fees award by $35,026.90

Why it matters

The ruling shows that courts will trim fee awards when redactions or vague descriptions leave them unable to test whether billed time was reasonable, even where the reduction is small relative to the total request.

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

SSI Technologies, LLC v. Dongguan Zhengyang Electronic Mechanical LTD, No. 3:20-cv-00019 (W.D. Wis. June 30, 2025)

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.

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