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Ninth Circuit:
Judge May Not Base Fee Award on Previous Awards to Firm
Panel Says, in Case Involving Firm Specializing in ADA Cases, Fresh Determinations Made Be Made Each Time
By a MetNews Staff Writer
A judge must make a fresh determination in each case of whether attorney fees that are sought are in line with prevailing rates in the community, rather than comparing the amounts claimed with those awarded to the same law firm in other cases of the same nature, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held on Friday.
Circumstances unique to that case must also be weighed, according to the memorandum opinion.
A three-judge panel—comprised of Ninth Circuit Judges Daniel Aaron Bress and Lawrence VanDyke, joined by Tenth Circuit Judge David M. Ebel, sitting by designation—reversed a $11,349 award in favor a client of the Center for Disability Access (“CDA”). The amount sought was $20,459.
CDA—which files torrents of actions throughout the state under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and Callifornia’s Unruh Civil Rights Act—is a division of the San Diego firm of Potter Handy, LLP. The plaintiff, Brian Whitaker, according to defendants SMB Group and Yoon Jeong Row, has filed more than 1,100 for in the Central District of California since 2014 claiming disability discrimination.
Fitzgerald Faulted
In the present case, the Ninth Circuit declared, District Court Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald of the Central District made some reasonable downward adjustments in the amount awarded, but erred in relying on past awards in actions brought by CDA “instead of considering other evidence of the prevailing community rates.”
The opinion says:
“We cannot discern that, in its explanation of why it reduced the hourly rates sought by CDA, the district court analyzed the complexity of the case, the type of work involved, rates for non-CDA lawyers of comparable skill in the relevant community, whether the legal work was performed by lawyers at the appropriate levels of seniority, or other relevant factors….
“It may be that the district court here considered the above factors and thus the hourly rates the district court applied were appropriate. But we cannot make that determination on the current record. Accordingly, the district court’s fee award is vacated and the case is remanded for review consistent with this memorandum.”
The appellate judges said Carter did justify his reduction in hours spent—including subtracting hours supposedly spent at a hearing that did not take place and on an unnecessary motion—and paring block-billed hours.
Oral Argument
At oral argument on Aug. 8, Dennis J. Price II of Potter Handy argued that the lodestar system of calculating attorney fees—multiplying hours spent times the hourly rate—“is not advisor—it’s a mandatory system” that judges must use. He alleged that Fitzgerald “effectively ignored these rules.”
The hourly rates that were sought ranged from $450 to $595. Those awarded went from $350 to $425.
Bress questioned whether the rates that were set by the judge would have been supportable had Fitzgerald “put in more than he did in his order.” Price responded that the evidence would not support the lower rates.
However, asked the same question by VanDyke, he said that if Fitzgerald had “done the leg work,” he “wouldn’t have any argument that the rate was incorrect,” later reverting to his original position that “the evidence doesn’t support” the rates that were set.
Janice Ryan Mazur of the El Cajon firm of Mazur & Mazur argued for SMB Group and Row. She said Fitzgerald did apply the lodestar method, but then adjusted it downward.
That, VanDyke observed, was not made clear by the order. Mazur insisted in can be “inferred.”
The case is Whittaker v. SMB Group, 20-55838.
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