S.D. Texas cuts fee award 44%, including for vague entries

What happened

ASI Lloyds sought $131,977 in sanctions fees. The magistrate judge recommended awarding $73,889.50, a $58,087.50 reduction. The court removed time from the lodestar for work during the appeal, 12 hours of travel time, and 47.6 hours as excessive. It also reduced time for vague entries and clerical work, deducted duplicative staffing, and recommended denying $15,000 for responding to a motion to alter judgment and $30,000 in conditional fees.

What the court said

To account for the time entries I do consider vague, I will make a reduction in ASI's lodestar by 0.4 hours of Lacy Baccari's time in September 2022

certain time entries that appear clerical in nature. That time should be disallowed. Accordingly, I will reduce ASI's lodestar by 0.5 hours of Baccari's time in September 2022

The court also reduced the award for: other, travel time, excessive hours, duplicative staffing, other, other.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that a fee applicant's time records are examined entry by entry, and that vague descriptions, clerical tasks, travel, duplication, and excessiveness each draw separate deductions even when the overall percentage cut is large.

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 S.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.