Does, C.B. and J.B. v. Pulaski County Special School District

Summary

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas partially grants and partially denies the parents’ motion for attorney’s fees and costs. Applying the lodestar method and reducing the requested time for double billing, block billing, cumulative work, and partial success, the Court awards $46,229.34 in attorney’s fees and $1,282.94 in costs, for a total of $47,512.28.

Holdings

1. The court calculated the reasonable attorney's fee using the lodestar method, applying hourly rates of $275 for Theresa Caldwell, $250 for Clay Fendley, and $100 for Darlene Hogancamp's paralegal work.
2. The court properly reduced the lodestar by fifteen percent to account for double billing, block billing, cumulative testimony, and related billing and litigation issues, and applied an additional ten-percent reduction because plaintiffs achieved only partial success.
3. Copies and the filing fee were recoverable costs, while binders and FedEx fees were not; the court awarded $1,282.94 in costs.

Questions Presented

1. What hourly rates and lodestar amount constituted a reasonable attorney's fee?
2. What reductions were appropriate for double billing, block billing, cumulative testimony, unsuccessful briefing, and partial success?
3. Which requested litigation costs were recoverable under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(d)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 1920?

Disposition

other